Industrial Placement Review

The Industrial Placement Scheme was incredibly challenging, but also one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life. The placement introduces you to every aspect of the business, including Store Operations, Finance, Logistics, Property, Trading as well as the Area Manager role. The high levels of responsibility and training help you to vastly improve your skills, not only within the retailing industry, but in a working environment as a whole.

Everybody is incredibly helpful throughout the company, from time spent in store to time spent working in Head Office, and so you really feel part of the team.

During the time spent in store, training is crucial at the start of the placement as you look to become adept within a management role. For this reason, training is prioritised and a great deal of feedback is given. Once this training period is through, then it is up to the individual to put everything they have learned into practice, with regular feedback coming from the Store Manager as well as the Area Manager. During the time spent in Head Office, there was regular guidance and feedback given from the Directors of the departments that the work was being completed for, and so you know exactly what is expected from your time in each area.

The vast variation in the job roles ensures that you're never bored! From working stock, banking, till work, orders, inventory control, daily/ weekend/ monthly paperwork, managing staff, and ensuring opens and closes are efficiently completed in store, through to the many differing projects set in Head Office, there are always tasks that need to be completed. As efficiency is key, where any additional time is found it is always important to ensure that you aim to put yourself in a stronger position by getting as much additional work done completed.

Responsibility is regularly given to the individual and so it is important to learn quickly to make the most of the opportunities presented. As mistakes are expected, it is vital to ensure that they are not repeated and they are learned from, as this is a crucial learning process throughout the placement. I was responsible for opening and closing the store within a month of starting, as well as being responsible for cash handling and managing the safe. As well as this, there is also regular exposure to the paperwork side of the store, along with the store's inventory. The project work that is undertaken at Head Office also gives the individual plenty of responsibility, especially as all of the work is directly reported back to the Director of the department. This means that all of the work that is completed is fully used, which motivates you further to ensure that nothing is missed out.

Due to the high levels of responsibility given to you, the skills that are learned are essential throughout working life. As well as some of the aforementioned skills, I have also had a lot of exposure to recruitment including phone interviews, CV checking and one-to-one interviews, as well as cash audits, gaining a complete understanding of how the logistics side of the business works, as well as gaining insight into how some items are allocated, how budgets are complete, and what the Property Team look for to ensure a successful site. All of these skills are transferable to any job role, whilst the greatest exposure has definitely been to the management of staff aspect of the business.

Throughout my time with the company, everybody is incredibly friendly whilst maintaining their professionalism, and so there was always a positive atmosphere. As the business works off minimal staffing, it is vital to ensure that there is always a good vibe, as everybody helps each other to ensure that the work is complete, whether in Store or in Head Office.

The placement was set out when I joined, with all of the different aspects being accounted for in the year plan. As some project work became available throughout the year the plan was changed, but this was always communicated to ensure I knew what needed to be done.

As this was my first real exposure to the working environment, I was unsure as to what my full skill set was. However, throughout the year I have had plenty of training in different departments, as well as a lot of feedback from all levels of the hierarchy. This has helped me to develop vastly, and I believe that I am a much more rounded and experienced individual for the training and experiences that I have received.

The aim for an Industrial Placement student is to succeed through the placement to get onto the graduate scheme, which will allow you to train as an Area Manager. The exposure to the business on every level really helps you to understand how the company works, and allows you to be more empathetic in certain situations, which is something that is valuable if you aim to be successful throughout the company, and so will provide you with an advantage when compared to the new graduates.

I lived at home for the year, and so was allocated a store near to where I lived.

Whilst in store there was a Christmas Party as well as a Managers Christmas party which allowed me to get to know the staff a lot better, as well as helping me to fit into the team better. However, due to the nature of working shifts, there wasn't much time to regularly get involved in after work activities.