Allocation Analyst Review

I've really enjoyed my placement year at TJX Europe - I've had a great insight into one of the largest/most exciting retailers in the world (one of the largest growing retailers). It's also been a fun year - I've made loads of friends and been able to take part in loads of travel/activities.

I was made to feel part of the team very early on and was valued highly by my colleagues during my placement year. This was made a lot easier due to being in a great office environment as well as taking part in team socials/days and nights out. There is a great network of people here and all are very easy to talk to.

Support was always available whether it be from my manager or anyone else in the company. This support and guidance could be something about work or something personal and I was made comfortable to ask for it whenever I needed. There are also weekly one-to-one 'meetings' with my manager, which is like a chat, and could be about professional development to what we did on the weekend.

There was a good balance during work days - I would always have something to do and was encouraged to drive my own development through ideas and strategies. There are some days where I may be very busy and some where I am not as busy - As long as you remain productive the day will be productive.

The level of responsibility I had in my placement year was one of the key reasons I was impressed with the scheme - The role as an analyst requires a lot of responsibility and fluidity within the team. I was also responsible for completing various tasks and coming up with various store strategies. Your input is really valued and this increases along with responsibility.

During my placement year I developed: Time management, communication, analytical and team working skills - all of which will assist me going into my final year. This placement year is a great foundation to build upon your skills, and the training/personal development workshops offered by the company have given me an even better foundation to start my professional career

Atmosphere was very casual but also very productive - You can easily walk around and have a chat with people around the office but it is also an easy place to get work done and have professional meetings. The company and their offices have both found the right balance between casual and professional.

The placement year was set up well with a clear structure - we always had guidance on any issues and the transition from training to working on department was smooth - this helped massively in getting us used to day to day work. There was also a very open platform to engage with other functions.

A lot of training and development opportunities were offered by the company - These took place in the form of workshops where we would learn new skills and develop existing ones. These also fit in very well around my business course at uni - including workshops in leadership and team work.

Future employment prospects are very appealing as you have the chance to come back as a graduate in an analyst role. The company itself is a massive business which is regarded with very high regard within the retail sector. The levels and rates of development within TJX Europe also seem very appealing.

There was a good social scene amongst placements and all my other colleagues - I got along really well with all of them which made it easier to make plans. Throughout the year I went on loads of team days and there are also lots of opportunities for after work drinks at the pub in Watford or in London.

Cost of living in Watford is a lot cheaper than London, but living close to Watford Junction station lets you have easy 20 minute access to London if you ever want to go there. Socialising is also slightly cheaper in Watford, but is still more expensive than places further up the country.

Nightlife in Watford is okay: 2 main pubs near the office, bars like walkabout in town, also a pryzm. 20 minute train to Euston makes it really easy to go out in London, which is filled with hundreds of options for nightlife and will more than likely have something for everyone.

There weren't many activities set up by the company, but the environment allowed us to become really close to others on the intake as well as colleagues in the office - as a result this meant we organised loads of activities outside of working hours and it was easy to do so.