48 Week Work Placement Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement with Lidl and took away with me skills and experiences which will be sure to benefit and aid me in my future career.

I never questioned whether or not I was valued by my colleagues, I always felt as part of the team and was accepted and welcomed into all the departments I worked within.

Management and Supervisors kept in regular contact with me and provided my with feedback and appraisals which allowed my to develop myself whilst on the placement.

I was never wanting for tasks and always found something to do. With Lidl you will never find yourself bored and management always included me in different projects and tasks within varying departments, giving a real overview of the business and allowing to build up a huge network of contacts.

I was given responsibility from day one, whether I was opening a store in the morning and setting up for a days trade or training over 140 managers within the region during a project role out. As a placement student I never expected to be presented with so much responsibility, although I always showed interest in the business and I think this was acknowledged by management.

Having had various part time jobs and studied the theory behind business within the classroom, I had never been given the chance to put into practice any of the skills I had learned; until I came to Lidl. People management, communication and organisation were probably the skills I used the most on a day to day basis although other skills that I will take with me into my future career and invaluable.

Due to the nature of the placement I never found myself working within a set office for the duration of the placement, I worked with three different departments, sales, property and warehousing. Due to the fact that I worked in so many different areas and with so many different people, the atmosphere always differed but I would say that from my point of view, I always found the atmosphere positive.

The placement program is extremely well organised and structured from day one. The regional placement coordinator keeps in regular contact with you and there is the national recruitment manager who is always contactable and heads the placement program. The placement program has a set structure which is adhered to and I always knew what I was doing and where and with who I would be working.

I am returning to work within the business as an ambassador for the placement scheme and also within a store on a part time basis alongside my studies. I will have to see what vacancies are available at the time I graduate, in terms of graduate jobs.

I was able to meet up with fellow placement students (placement students nationally) regularly at placement meetings, where a meal and overnight stay in a hotel were included, there were 4 such events throughout the year. These meeting and training sessions were a perfect opportunity to catch up with other peoples experiences and gain new friends.

I lived at home during my time working for Lidl, therefore I never took living costs into account. Where I was asked to work further away from home I was always put up in respectable accommodation with a meal allowance and my mileage paid for.

N/A, due to living at home.

I was invited to both the Christmas and Summer Management parties which were a lot of fun.