Industrial Placement Review

Although the workload is very full on, the job satifaction you get out of it is huge!

When working in store, you are part of a small team that you work with constantly, seeing the same people everyday, therefore everyone is very close and is a strong sense of community. In the same way, while spending time in head office, colleagues are very friendly and are always very happy to help

During my time, my mentor at Aldi would always make time for me if I needed help or support, either catching up before updates with the directors, or helping me with presentations and project work.

The work load and day to day tasks you are expected to do is huge, particularly while working in store. This is because of targets expected to reach. While training with an area manager, there is again tasks that keep you busy throughout the whole day, with little time for breaks. However although it takes a little while to get used to the fast pace and workload which is expected of you, the business is perfect and keeps you motivated.

The responsibility you recieve while on placement is huge! Within the first few months, I was responsible for opening and closing stores, managing staff on shift, significant amounts of money and much more. By the end when I was doing project work, I was able to come up with and implement changes throughout the business.

The knowledge and skills I picked up this year will help me for life and don't think I could have ever got without this placement.

The office I was in was great as it usually had a team of about 3/4 other area managers and industrial placement students and although we had a lot of work to do, we all got on well and were all very supportive.

I was initially given a weekly plan that organised my whole year, iif I was shadowing an area manager, working in store, working in head office, and my updates with the directors. However communication can be a bit of an issue between stores and head office therefore when the plan changed slighlty, I found out very last minute!

I experiencd all aspects of the business from training in stores as a store assistant to manager level, training with an area manager, spending time in head office with all the different office and warehouse departments.

I would like to be given the opportunity to go back for the graduate area manager role. As I have done the IP scheme, I know the workload involved and the commitment it takes but also the great benefits I would get from it.

There was only 1 other placement student in the same region as me who lived an hour + away from me therefore we did not meet up. During my time in head office we would see eachother every day.

I lived at home for the year so cost of living was extremley cheap! In the north, everything is always pretty cheap!

As I lived at home, I know the nightlife pretty well! Plenty of bars/ clubs/ pubs about which are pretty cheap!

There are opportunities but can be difficult after working a 10 hour shift. You have better social opportunity while working 8-6 in head office time, but working in store you could be working from 12-10 so don't have much time to do anything! There are plently of Aldi benefits though, such as half price cinema tickets!