Sales assistant, Visual merchandiser
Uniting Vic. Tas - Brunswick Op Shop

Uniting Op Shops have been operating for over 60 years. Brunswick Uniting Op Shop is Melbourne’s most popular destination for pre-loved fashion and homewares. They offer pre-loved items at affordable prices while promoting sustainability and social inclusion and raised funds for vital local Uniting services.
This SWL placement offers hands-on experience in a charity retail environment, helping students develop workplace skills in customer service, teamwork, and operations. Students will gain insight into the not-for-profit sector while contributing to a meaningful cause.

Skills You Might Learn

Students can attain a broad range of skills while on work placement. These may include valuable general employability skills such as:
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Problem solving
- Initiative and enterprise
- Planning and organising
- Self-management
- Learning
- Technology

Students may also attain vital industry specific skills which will relate to their studies such as:
- Retail and customer service skills
- Customer service
- Sustainability practices
- Workplace compliance
- Time management
- Interpersonal Skills
- Understanding of charity operations

Typical Tasks & Duties

Students will have the opportunity to spend time with experienced professional staff, assisting in the following example task and duties under supervision:

- Follow workplace health and safety (WHS) guidelines, including manual handling procedures
- Maintain cleanliness and organisation in the store.
Fashion & Textiles Related Tasks:
- Inspect, sort, and categorize donated clothing based on quality and style.
- Identify and separate high-value or vintage pieces for special display.
- Follow sustainability and recycling guideline for unsellable textiles.
- Steam or iron clothing to prepare for sale.
- Repair minor damages (e.g. missing buttons, loose hems).
- Arrange outfits on mannequins or displays to showcase styling options.
- Assist with window and in-store displays
- Rotate stock to keep displays fresh and appealing.
- Help organise stock by size, colour, and category.
- Educate customers on sustainable fashion choices.
- Support initiatives that encourage recycling and upcycling.
Community Services Tasks:
- Greet customers and offer assistance with finding items.
- Provide a welcoming and inclusive shopping experience for all customers.
- Understand how the op shop supports community initiatives and share this with customers
- Help process donations and acknowledge donors.
- Understand the shop’s role in supporting vulnerable groups.
- Assist with any charity or fundraising events if applicable.
Retail Tasks:
- Shadow staff to learn POS procedure (handling transactions, using registers).
- Assist with pricing items according to store guidelines.
- Understand basic cash-handling and customer payment options.
- Restock shelves and rack as needed
- Maintain an organised stockroom.
- Participate in stocktaking or inventory management tasks
- Create small promotional materials, such as sale signs or styling tips

Student Requirements

🔹 Willingness to learn and follow instructions
🔹 Friendly, reliable, and respectful to customers and team
🔹 Comfortable standing/moving for short periods

Dress Requirements

Smart casual

Special Transport Requirements

Located just a 2-minute walk from the Brunswick Train Station

RELATED COURSES INCLUDE

• CHC22015 - Certificate II in Community Services
• CHC32015 - Certificate III in Community Services
• MST20616 - Certificate II in Applied Fashion Design and Technology
• MST30819 - Certificate III in Applied Fashion Design and Technology
• SIR20216 - Certificate II in Retail Services