In October, we brought together our retail leadership teams in Bulgaria for a dedicated learning and development session focused on Nike’s global Onboarding Athlete program.

The training was facilitated by Kristijan Dujovic, Regional Retail Training Manager, and attended by Area Managers, Retail Managers, Store Managers, and Assistant Store Managers. The session introduced Nike’s new official onboarding framework, launched globally in February 2026 and now implemented across all Nike stores worldwide.

Compared to previous onboarding practices, the new program provides a structured 30-day learning journey designed to ensure that every new employee receives a consistent introduction to Nike standards, brand heritage, consumer experience principles, and product knowledge. The framework helps managers deliver a comprehensive onboarding experience that prepares new team members to confidently represent the brand from day one.

A key highlight of the training was its highly interactive role-play approach, allowing participants to practice onboarding conversations and coaching techniques in realistic store scenarios. Through hands-on exercises and knowledge sharing, managers gained practical tools to successfully onboard and develop their future team members while maintaining the world-class standards expected of the Nike brand.