Assistant Development Manager Review

I have really enjoyed my placement, so much so that I would happily go back to JLP/Waitrose, and highly recommend the placement to anyone else. It is enjoyable, the teams are brilliant and fun, the work is varied and you are given lots of opportunities.

Very, especially now I'm nearly leaving and they all keep saying please stay! I feel like a part of the team, and now when I meet people at work for the first time they don't know I'm a student, which encourages me to feel I really fit in.

My line manager has been excellent, he has a real focus on personal development. We set objectives together at the beginning of my year, and revisited them regularly, updating them after my 3 and also 6 month review. I have had regular feedback and encouragement.

Quite busy. In my first month it was a slow start and I was looking for things to do in my first few weeks. As time went on I quickly became involved with many projects, and for the rest of the year have been managing my workload to ensure that it isn't too much!

Much more than I thought I would be. For the first 6 months I would say I assisted on projects, but towards the end of my placement I was handling things completely myself and am responsible for projects now. I've felt the balance has been completely right and very natural of me gaining more responsibility as I went on.

I think the skills I've learned will do me wonders in the working world and for my future. I think they will help my in final year of University because I am up early, productive, organised, and can manage time and prioritise very well. I also think it will help me understand theory in my lectures because I have seen the practical side in workplace.

The atmosphere changes on a daily basis. I think it is quite common in retail for the beginning of the week to be busier with more people in, as we are analysing the sales from last week. These days were loads of fun, lots of laughter and it was clear very quickly that everyone got on well. On quieter days where lots of people were working from home, it was obviously more productive but still enjoyable because I think you need a balance.

I was the first placement student in my department, so there wasn't a 'scheme' or set role to fill, which made it hard at first (as I knew less what I was supposed to do) but was a gift in the long run because I have been able to define my role. It was very organised when I started with meetings set up for me to meet people, but as the year has gone on my role has evolved as I have, and it hasn't been fixed as to what work I would do, it is influenced by business needs.

Quite a bit. There are 4 development days during the year when you leave the office and have a day devoted to development. These are great and they get guest speakers in from all over the business to help teach you about potential opportunities. They have also supported me with travelling to other departments and stores to aid my development.

Quite, although the only thing is location (in the grand scheme of things is quite a small point). Progression seems possible, but there are not many graduate scheme places, far less than placement scheme places so it seems unlikely that a lot of us will return. Overall it is appealing as it is a good company with good interests who are good to their employees.

Yes, although as I lived at home I was slightly removed from this. I joined the other students who lived together on quite a few socials which were great and we all get on really well, so they were welcoming and invited myself and others to stay with them. Colleagues was less so, but we did have a Xmas party! Bring on an industrial site there weren't too many places to go after work.

I lived at home, so socialising and living was what I was used to it being.

There aren't many places near the office but the nearby town Reading has a really good nightlife. There is also a University there which helped with having other students around for going out! We have had a few placement student socials there, sometimes for dinner, and others for drinks and nightlife which is good.

Yes, the Partnership has many clubs and make it really easy for anyone to join. I spent a day Sailing from Hamble not long ago, as the Partnership owns boats. It's subsidised and probably the only chance I've had to try out sailing for a low cost and in the hands of colleagues and a trained skipper.