Industrial Placement Review

The placement provides insight into the retail industry from both a store and corporate level making the scheme very comprehensive. One half is spent running a store on a day-to-day basis with particular focus on hitting KPI's and managing people. The other half was spent carrying out regional office project work, for instance, allocating seasonal stock. If you are looking for real responsibility and challenge then you will find the placement very satisfying.

In store you are made to feel highly valued by your store team, who are both respectful and appreciative of the hard work and time you put in for their store. However, in Aldi, there tends to be a greater focus on your weaknesses and failings, which means you can feel more of a burden to your manager than an asset at times.

The majority of your training is done on the job which can be challenging considering the fast- paced and busy environment Aldi operates in. Subsequently, training is often disrupted by unforeseen circumstances, such as staff sickness. Moreover, with so many people requiring training in every store, sometimes IP's are not perceived as a priority as they are a temporary member of staff. If you are persistent, however, the one-on-one training you receive from the Store Manager is thorough and insightful, and will stand you in good stead for your next store time. Arguably, the best way in which to learn how to manage the store is to jump in at the deep end and take control early on, allowing you to learn from your own mistakes. In addition, Aldi provides multiple training booklets which are both detailed and comprehensive, and assist greatly in your understanding.

Aldi's efficient business model means the store is run off very few people, and as a result, you are extremely busy all day every day completing both manual and managerial tasks. As a senior member of management within the store, it is your job to ensure that all the necessary tasks have been completed to the highest of standards before you leave. In the case of unforeseen incidences, such as staff sickness, or failing to organise your time effectively, a typical day will be 12 hours. IP's will also get the opportunity to play a vital role in other key events occurring in stores, such as store 're-sets' for Group Managing Director visits or grand re-openings of older stores. Due to the time pressures and importance of these events, it is not uncommon to find yourself working in excess of twenty hours in order to prepare a store that will reach the high expectations set.

The amount of responsibility you are entrusted with is the best part of the placement. Within three weeks of being in store I was in charge of running the shift, completing the banking and closing the store for the night. The placement is fast paced and intense making it an exciting year. I was also given the opportunity to run 'Christmas 2013' which meant I was in charge of forecasting the regional sales and allocating the correct amount of stock to each store at the right time. The project gave me great exposure of other departments within the company as well as the chance to build on my excel and financial skills.

The placement has developed a multitude of skills which are transferable to a variety of work situations. In particular, my ability to plan and control a task from start to finish, with a greater attention to detail, has been vastly improved as a result of both my store time and regional office experiences.

Aldi is a very professional and conservative company and this is reflected in the office atmosphere. The success that Aldi has witnessed in recent years has led to their exponential growth, and as a result, everyone in the regional office is exceptionally busy leading to the industrious atmosphere.

My original training was extremely well organised, and so were the subsequent three training plans! Although I did not follow my original training plan, as a result of the later changes, I was able to experience different types of stores including a new 'City Centre' style store, an under-performing store and the busiest store in the region. Whilst it meant my year was very turbulent in terms of moving around the region, I gained much greater exposure and a variety of experiences than I would have originally received.

Aside from the training I received in store, I also received additional training in the Regional Office in order to undertake the 'Christmas 2013' project. The training included a one-on-one session with an excel coach as well as a day-long practical lesson on the company databases in our neighboring region.

Whilst the placement was incredibly challenging, the responsibility I was given was far greater than any of my peers were entrusted with in their placements, thus making the graduate scheme highly attractive. In addition, the inter-personal and organisation skills required of an Area Manager are those which I feel are better suited to my own skill set, and would not be utilised as effectively in other job roles. Whilst the pressure is immense and you are unlikely to be situated in your home town, the sense of achievement, the remuneration package and the career progression is great.

As I previous stated, Aldi is a professional and conservative company, therefore, being 'friends' with fellow IP's and AM's is inappropriate.

The cost of living was high in comparison to where I usually live, but not extortionate.

If you have the time or energy to be going out at night then you are not working hard enough!

As I mentioned above, socialising with colleagues outside of work is not appropriate. There was however an 'Away Day' organised by the company that the Area Managers went to.