48 Week Placement Student Review

Like any job there were ups and downs. The route I took through the placement took me out of my comfort zone, which was great for my development but also challenged me day-to-day. Each placement student starts for 4 weeks learning the Store Assistant job for example which will mean you will work on the tills and mop the floor. However if you expect to be running a store on your own after 6 months then this is vital! There is so much variety with regards to what you do there is no reason why, as long as you know what to expect, you won't enjoy yourself.

The modular nature of the placement can mean you move into different teams fairly regularly. Despite this I was made to feel welcome by each and every person I worked with.

From Head Office and my immediate line manager in each department I was well supported. In store and in the warehouse particularly the managers were happy to make time for me and invest their time and energy into training me to the right level. A manager in your region is responsible for where you work during the placement and at times it was difficult to contact them. As long as you take some responsibility for chasing them up when required then it isn't a problem. Another area for improvement would be the frequency of feedback throughout the time spent in each department rather than just at the end. I got my first feedback 2 weeks before I left my first department, which gave me little time to act on what I had been told.

In store working through to Store Manager level you will always be busy. In other departments and areas however there was sometimes the issue of having little to do and having to find work for myself, which, when it happened regularly became a challenge. By speaking to my regional contact and line manager however it was possible to resolve the issue.

The level of responsibility you are able to take depends entirely on how confident you are and how hard you are prepared to work. It is perfectly feasible to spend 3 months training in a department and be able to do the job by the end of it. As I chose to work in several different areas I probably had less responsibility, but developed skills in more areas, whereas other placement students stayed in one area and did the opposite. It really is up to you to decide what you want to gain from the placement.

The main draw of the placement was the opportunity to work in different areas to expand my experience and I was able to do this. Although I had a retail background, Lidl is a unique company, and I will be able to take a lot away with me about their way of working. The work I was able to do in the warehouse will be particularly relevant to my degree, and the other aspects covered such as HR, finance and trading law are likely to assist me both in my degree and in whatever area I work in the future.

Due to the nature of the job, you aren't based in an office. In store and in the warehouse however there was a good atmosphere, with everyone prepared to work hard. I wouldn't say that there was a particularly "fun" atmosphere but the people I worked with were motivated and everyone was working towards the same goals.

The scheme has been recognised as being award winning and from the moment your contract arrives it is easy to see why. The recruitment process was very efficient, and there was always someone at the end of the phone who was happy to answer any questions you might have. The induction was very well set up, with all the placement students from around the country attending the 3 day session. This also gave you a group of people who were in the same situation who knew what you were going through/were facing the same challenges/could answer questions about stuff you had forgotten. For the rest of the placement there is a very clear path to follow either up, to take on additional responsibility, or sideways, to develop skills in different areas. In addition there was also flexibility to take on ad-hoc projects if they arose.

If there is something you want to get involved with then ask the question. We were all able to take on externally accredited qualifications to gain our personal licences and before the end of the placement will also be able to work for an award from the British Safety Council. There have also been in-house training sessions to enable us to either fulfil our roles, or do them to a higher standard. The whole placement is about developing you as a person, and as long as you are prepared to get stuck in to any task then there is nothing that the company won't help you with.

This year has taught me a lot about the company and their way of working and I will be in a strong position to apply for any vacancies which are open after graduation.

There was the opportunity to meet up with the other placement students several times a year, as we are spread geographically across the country.

As you are located near to your home town (or university if you prefer) then the cost of living shouldn't be a shock.

As above, being based near London there is plenty going on, however this can change depending on where you live.

This year there was the chance to represent your region in the Lidl-Olympics at a variety of sporting events.