48 Week Management Trainee Placement Review

It has truly been the best year of my life. I expected it to be a good placement but it exceeded my expectations, with the level of responsibility and exposure. Both my skillset and confidence have grown massively. My placement year has given me to motivation to complete my degree in order to return to supermarket retail, ideally with Lidl as I love the culture of the company – it really is infectious!

I felt valued by colleagues at all levels. If they can see that you are keen to learn, they will value your presence in their department and take their time to train you despite their own busy schedules. As a Trainee Store Manager, I was managing a team of 20 employees who all valued me, coming to me for advice and feedback, so it was nice to give back to those that had been so welcoming to me. It really was like being part of a big family!

It was the support and guidance that made this year as brilliant as it was. My Regional Training Consultant kept in close contact throughout the year, which was especially helpful when I was out in store away from the Regional Distribution Centre. She really went out of her way to give me the best experience, arranging extra training for me and tailoring my programme to suit my needs. My line manager from Head Office Training and Development was also highly supportive, checking my weekly progress reports and arranging national meetings and training sessions.

Retail is naturally a busy environment to work in, which is something I thrive on, but of course the nature of work and therefore workload depended on the department. Sales was one of the busiest areas, due to its unpredictable nature, but my passion for sales led me to spend 6 months of my year in store. No matter which department you are in, you will always have work to do.

I never expected to be given so much responsibility during my placement year. If you prove yourself to be reliable, keen and capable, your Line Manager will continually challenge you by giving you more responsibility. I worked in Supply Chain over Christmas and so a large responsibility was ensuring all deliveries arrived in a timely manner to guarantee availability during the festive period. In store, I began training as a Customer Assistant and by the end of my placement I was a fully trained Store Manager, running a shop turning over hundreds of thousands of pounds a week, which highlights the responsibility available, if you are willing to put in the hard work.

My skillset has developed in so many ways, in areas such as time management, communication, team work and initiative. These skills will not only help me throughout my final year at university, but also upon graduation. Furthermore, my confidence has grown remarkably, to the stage where I was confident presenting my project to the Regional Director and Head of Sales by the end of the year. The training sessions throughout the year covered many topics, including Emotional Intelligence, Communication in Business and Graduate Recruitment, and so will all be relevant no matter what career I pursue.

I spent my year primarily in Supply Chain and Sales. They both had very different, yet very enjoyable atmospheres. Supply Chain was office-based and the team were very welcoming of me, understanding what I was there to do. As it was December, I got involved in festive activities such as the Secret Santa! In store, the atmosphere is different again. A store team is like a family; you get to know everyone very well as you spend a lot of time working closely with them. Everyone is happy to help in every department, as they understand the objectives of the placement scheme. There is a strong sense of Team Lidl in all areas, which you immediately feel part of from day one.

The scheme is well organised both nationally and regionally. I believe one of the biggest advantages of the scheme is that, although it is flexible in terms of departmental rotation, it is highly structured in terms of timings, allowing you to plan your learning and development accordingly. On day one you are given a yearly plan, which helps you to manage your time. Regionally, my manager was very organised, ensuring that everyone knew who I was and what the placement scheme involves. This meant I received the correct training in each department.

As a placement student, I did not expect to have so much personal training and development invested in me this year. It really made me feel valued by the organisation and a real part of Team Lidl. I attended numerous training sessions with the other placement students, but aside from these my manager was happy to arrange any further training for me, which was especially useful when I began Store Manager training as I had not had to manage a team before. One of the best things about the placement is the department rotation, and although you don’t spend a substantial amount of time in one area, your colleagues and line managers still want you to have the best experience possible.

The future employment prospects within Lidl are highly appealing. I feel the year is just long enough to find out what really interests you. The career opportunities within the organisation are vast, due to the rapid growth of the business. If you perform well during your placement year, you have a good chance of securing graduate employment, due to their investment in you during the placement year. I feel completing this placement year has given me the knowledge to make more informed graduate career decisions, and will allow me to be a more employable graduate on completion of final year.

Yes, very much so. As there are roughly two placement students per region, it was good to meet up nationally throughout the year to share our experiences. The national meetings lasted two days, incorporating training but also social aspects such as dinner. Furthermore, you all stay in the same hotel during the two weeks spent in HO in London, and so you have a great opportunity to make real friendships.

I lived at home throughout my placement as my Regional Distribution Centre was only 35 miles away. Personally, being based in the Midlands, I would have been able to find reasonably priced accommodation if I had needed to. There are 9 distribution centres throughout the UK, so this factor depends on which you choose to apply for.

We were invited to the Christmas party with senior managers and Directors, which was great for networking. Also, when I worked in store, we arranged various team nights out in the local town. During the two weeks Head Office experience in London, the nightlife is brilliant, with easy access to South West and Central London.

Not whilst I was based at Lutterworth as I had quite a long commute. However, I understand they have a football team that plays weekly. When I had my two weeks' experience in Head Office in Wimbledon, London, the evenings were full of activities, as I was with the other placement students. Lidl also organises annual family fun days for employees and their families, which is a great opportunity to see colleagues out of work.