Placement Year Review at Marks & Spencer

The Role

Role Description

To drive the 5 pillars of Service, Costs, Standards, People and Sales. By keeping the daily rhythm and routine going. Attend meetings, analyses commercial documentation, check policies and phase changes. Manage the floor, stock, queues etc. Know whats happening in your department plan ahead.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Really enjoyed the placement as it was a challenge some days and I was able to put into practice what I had learnt at university.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

At first it was hard to know where you fitted in but once you found your feet a few months in it felt more like a family.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

You were always supported in what you wanted to do. You did also need to guide your own learning as well and push for the managers time.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Once you got into the role and knew more about your area you worked on you had alot of jobs to do. E.g. prep for sale, stocktakes etc.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

You were given a fair amount and what was expected of you was high. I think that was good as it pushed me to do better.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

It has increased my confidence massively and will help me be driven to work harder in my final year at university. It has helped my confidence in having to speak in large groups.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Fun at times also hardwork and challenging at peak times such as christmas but overall good.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The structure was set-up really well and they had a clear programme set out.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

A lot of time and money as the managers also have a job to do whilst look after you and train you up so I appreciate the time they spend to train us.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Healthcare/Dental

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Fantastic!! The job opportunities are really good and is 100% worth doing a placement year.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The social scene is really good the graduates I started with in the September all stay in touch with me even now when im back at University. Meals and nights out took place regularly.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Depended on the place we went to but not too expensive or too cheap, it was a happy medium. Often went into Leeds on nights out or socialised in the food hall in Meadowhall after work.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

We went out on work does such as birthdays, christmas and leaving does and the events were really fun.

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

There was a lot of courses that took place outside of work that I attended.This upskilled me in some of the areas such as people management, managing costs etc.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

The placement year overall was fantastic I would certainly recommend it to other students as it opens up your eyes to the real world and what comes next after university! It also shows you what is expected of you in the working environment. It has increased my confidence and made me more determined.

Review 57/73 for Marks & Spencer

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