Thea Sjöholm, SM-vinnare i butikssälj, med guldmedaljen kring halsen och i en tävlingsmonter.

Thea Wins National Gold in Retail Sales

Thea Sjöholm is passionate about service and customer interactions. Her dedication led to a win in the retail sales category at the National Skills Championship in Karlstad.

Thea Sjöholm, a final-year student in the Sales and Service Program (försäljnings- och serviceprogrammet) at Affärsgymnasiet in Örebro, demonstrated her creativity and enthusiasm for customer interaction at the National Skills Championship in Karlstad. Her commitment and skill earned her a first-place finish.

– It felt unreal when they announced my name. I was incredibly happy, says Thea.

Participating in the National Skills Championship offers young people the chance to compete in their field. For Thea, competing in the retail sales category involved solving challenges that can arise in a store. She had the opportunity to test both the roles of sales associate and store manager during the competition.

– It was an incredible experience. The event is enormous, and at first, it was overwhelming. Gradually, I relaxed and stopped thinking about the jury and the audience. It felt like a normal day at work, and it wasn’t a performance but meant to be genuine and real, says Thea.

The journey to the national final began when her teacher, Maria Berndtsson, encouraged her to apply for the competition. The application was followed by a video interview and then the chance to compete in front of a jury in Gothenburg. At the competition in Gothenburg, she placed in the top three, which qualified her for the final.

– It was an educational experience, and I’ve made new friendships. Marie has supported me throughout the journey.

Runs her own spa

With the competitions concluded and the national win achieved, Thea is looking forward to graduation and a new chapter. Reflecting on her time at Affärsgymnasiet, she says:

– I’m a creative person and appreciate not just sitting in the classroom, so the education suits me perfectly. Right now, for example, we’re preparing for a fashion show, and I’m trying to enjoy my final time here. I will miss the school and the teachers.

Alongside her studies, Thea runs Sågbladets Spa in the tourist town of Nora. Through her business, she rents out a spa facility to individuals who want to recharge and to companies looking to host events. After graduation, she plans to continue developing her business.

– It’s already become much larger than I initially thought. I really enjoy networking and establishing local collaborations.

In the future, she also dreams of pursuing her passion for interior design by opening a store.

– This would allow me to work closely with customers and be creative. I want to find a unique offering that doesn’t already exist.

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