Waitrose -Retail Management Industrial Placement Review

Enjoyed the majority of the placement and the opportunities to develop that were presented to me. There was a lot of networking opportunities with the other placement students and a lot of variety in the role. The only downside is that sometimes the stores I were placed in didn't know exactly what I was there to achieve and might not have needed the extra managerial help. However the experiences gained and the opportunities to develop myself were beneficial.

Felt really valued by the partners I worked with in both stores I worked in during my placement. The John Lewis Partnership is known for how it values its partners and you feel this even though you are only their for a temporary period of time. The store environment allows you to get involved with the many social activities that they run and is a good opportunity to get to know partners outside of the work environment.

There was a lot of support from the managers in the store, had regular feedback sessions with them. This involved setting targets and looking at areas where I could improve my management skills. There could have been a bit more support form the people running the scheme as sometimes felt a bit removed from the other schemes they run. This is due to the majority being in Head Office.

Due to working in a retail environment how busy you were depended on the time of year. Christmas time was the busiest but also the time when I enjoyed the placement the most. This was because I felt that the roles I was doing would have a real impact on customer happiness and the reputation of Waitrose.

Responsibility varied thought the placement. It is up to you how much you gain. If you show that you are capable of tasks you get given more responsibility. From Day 1, I was seen as a manager and partners came up to you asking for your advice, this was daunting at first but eventually I came to really enjoy this.

The skills developed have helped in gaining managerial experience which does allow you to stand out due to the fact many people don't have direct line manager experience. The role involved a lot of problem solving skills and learning to think on my feet was differently and area I developed. It also allowed me to see areas where I need to develop in the future. Even though I didn't use much of my degree whilst on placement I definitely feel it has given me greater employability skills.

The atmosphere was generally a happy place, at certain times could get a bit stressful depending on how bust the store was.

This is the area I felt could be improved, not as well organised as I expected. I feel that the Head Office schemes were more organised than the Retail scheme. However I understand this has now been improved and future years shouldn't have the same problems.

John Lewis invest a lot in your personal development. There were whole placement group training days where general skills were developed. There was also a wealth of development opportunities that were accessible if you took it upon yourself to take them up. There is a great emphasis on your own development and it is very rare you would come up against a 'no' if you ask.

There isn't any exemptions from the different stages of the graduate scheme but understanding the partnership is beneficial. Also you get a lot of support from the recruitment team. There is also the opportunity to find a part time vacancy whist you finish your degree.

There was a group of us that lived together. There was a good network of placement students. Within store there are a lot of social activities to get involved with. They include, christmas party, AGM, and quiz nights.

Depends on where abouts you live, can get cheap accommodation in Reading. This is differently the place to live if you work in Head Office because the night life is better in Reading than Bracknell.

Good, being a student town there are a lot of places to go.

There are many societies that you can get involved in. There are sports teams that you can also join.