Food Product Development Intership Review

I really enjoyed this placement, every day was so different and busy I learnt so much. Each day I experienced something new and exciting and something I didn’t even realise was included in the job role. I was given lots of responsibly and things to do and tasks to complete which really helped me build my skills and confidence.

I felt very valued by all my colleagues, they always asked my opinion and included me in all conversations which made me feel really valued and with the team. Everyone was willing to help and answer questions if i had them and it was a very happy office to work in.

I was continually supported by my line manager and other team members, they always asked me if i needed anything and were happy to answer all my questions if i had any. They helped me organise extra supplier visits and told me about relevant talks and events to attend to develop me as person.

Every day was nonstop and busy at Marks and Spencer, just what i enjoy. There was always meetings and catch ups and supplier visits. No day was every the same and there was always something new that i learnt and experienced. The best part for me was supplier visits as it really helped to slot the whole process together.

I was given a lot of responsibility from day one on this placement, i felt like a valued part of the team and felt like i was making a difference. The first week i was given tasks that i never expected to do and i felt like i was treated as an employee rather than just an intern.

The Skills that i have learnt and improved since i have been here will stay with more forever, they are not just skills to use in workplace they are skills that i will and have used on a day to day basis. I have learned how to time manage a lot better and produce detailed work to a much high quality than i thought i could.

The office is always busy and has a really nice atmosphere, you are surrounded by people who want to help you and care about you. There was a professional atmosphere around the office and people who were there loved what they did and enjoyed coming to work every day. I was a lovely place to work and everyday i was excited about going into work.

As it was the first internship Marks and Spencer has offered like this there wasn’t a set plan to the internship, we learnt as we went along and the team were always keen on feedback and improving the experience for us, saying this there was still a clear set up and aims for us. We had set tasks to complete and goals to achieve as well as lots of training to help us along the way. The induction was a great introduction to the company and made me feel very welcome.

This was an area i was very impressed with, Marks and Spencer really invested a lot of time and money into my personal development, and they sent me on courses for me to learn about project management and leadership as well as courses on how to conduct myself in store. They also send all interns on courses about their 4 core values, inspiration, innovation, in touch and integrity to help us understand how and why the company conducts itself and help us to understand our core values and our importance in the company

Marks and Spencer offer a very well structured career program with a yearlong placement for university students and a graduate program, they are keen to develop us as individuals and help us build up our experiences and skills while we are with Marks and Spencer. The Recruitment team were always in contact and happy to help all interns if we needed it.

Fellow placement students met up during training days and after work. This was great to share experiences with each other and to make us feel more comfortable as there were people in the same situation we were in. There was a good social aspect to the job, even though it was not a regular thing, this was more as everyone finished at different times and was very busy. There was a good mix of social opportunities and work life balance.

I commuted from home to save costs so this was quite cheap in comparison to renting in London. Paddington was easy to get to and commuting was not a problem. Socialising was the normal London prices not that cheap but ok for a night out, the places surrounding the office had a range of prices and there was something for everyone. London is never going to be cheap but there was still opportunities for everyone.

I did not experience this as i continued my Saturday job at the weekend so i did not get to experience the nightlife, hearing from other interns there was a lot on offer in the area we worked but many didn’t go out as they went home and went out with friends from home.

There were a few opportunities available although i did not get time to partake in any, there were many opportunities available within work (i attended a rice talk over lunch time one day). And sporting activities. If i was here for longer I would have tried to get involved in more activities outside work