DC Supply Chain Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship with L'Oreal, it was definitely an experience I'd never forget. I was placed in one of their Distribution Center's so the environment and culture was a bit different than what I was used to - but not negatively. I was able to learn new skill sets which I am eager to adopt in my next role. My team were simply amazing and had loads of fun with them.

I felt extremely valued by my colleagues, we worked extremely well as a team! They all welcomed me with open arms and made me feel as if I had been working there for more than a year! It really did feel like family. I also tend to struggle in new environment as I am quite shy, but they made me feel very comfortable!

My supervisor and manager were both extremely supportive! They were very eager to see me to progress in my chosen career path, so helped me build networks within the company to also help me with this. I had weekly catch-ups from the beginning of my placement to the end, to see how I was doing and if there were any problems I was facing. They were were amazing!

I was kept busy on a daily basis - it was a perfect balance. Not too busy where I had no work-life balance, and I was not ever bored. I liked the fact that I wasn't doing the same thing all the time, each day was different and had a new challenge to go with it.

I was given a fair amount of responsibility on my placement. I lead a few of my own projects where I had full autonomy over my tasks and responsibilities

I believe the skills I have learnt during my placement and equipped me with skills to step into my Supply Chain career. L'Oreal also place a high emphasis on networking and communicating with others internally and externally - again this is an area I struggled with but they helped me build up my confidence which I know will assist me in the future. They also taught me how to work with difficult people, which I believe is major skillset.

The atmosphere in my office was the perfect balance! We all knew when it was time to put our heads down and work and we all knew when it was time to have fun and a bit of a laugh. The atmosphere was very encouraging and my manager would pass through daily and speak words of encouragement or just say "Thank You!" which was really motivating!

The placement was organised extremely well - I never felt confused or lost in terms of what I was supposed to be doing throughout the year. From the start to the end of my internship, it was well put together. My induction period was amazing, they had planned different activities and tasks for me within the two weeks - including electronic training's, shadowing other functions and going to visit 3rd party suppliers. Even in the middle of my internship, s

In terms of my development the company encouraged this through networking and shadowing people in their roles. If i wanted to develop a certain skill or knowledge in a particular area then my manager or supervisor would put me in contact with the suitable person and build it on from there. The company also offered Lunch & Learn, where you can learn about a new function over lunch and ask questions.

Future prospects within the organisation are very appealing. I have applied for a permanent role as well as the Graduate Trainee program. I would love to stay on with L'Oreal as I am already familiar with their products and systems, career progression is hugely encouraged by your managers and their is always room for shaping, training and progression

This area was a bit poor - because most of the interns were working in Hammersmith I never really got to meet them or get invited to any social events there. In this situation, i would advise that if interns ever feel the social scene with other interns is quite poor, to speak to the Intern/Grad Coordinators to help you get more involved.

The cost of living in Nottingham was not too expensive and also not very cheap. Public transport is surprisingly expensive in Nottingham and would advise you are already driving as it would save a lot of time and costs. In regards to rent, the average cost of rent per month ranges from £310-£410 in a shared house. There are also loads of private student accommodations available in Nottingham as it is a student city. Restaurants, bars and cinemas are also pretty cheap compared to cities like London.

Although I didn't go out much in Nottingham, I do know that they have an awesome nightlife especially for students. Their are a many restaurants, bars and clubs in the city centre which offer cheap food and drinks and also cheap entry into clubs. It is not expensive to go out in Nottingham and most bars and restaurants are pretty much close to each other.