Garment Technology Admin Assistant Review

The internship at ASOS is brilliant. Its a very fast paced company so there were times where I felt really stressed, particularly when doing University work as well. However, now its over I look back on it with fond memories.

The staff at ASOS are lovely. Everyone always has a lot to do but will always make time to help you or explain something- its important to ask loads of questions to get the most out of the experience. Anything you want to get involved in they are willing to make it happen, as long as you are enthusiastic. Its important to be a support for the team- if you help them, they help you.

I was very supported by my manager, Weekly catch ups and 1-1's mean you always know what you're meant to be working on and spending your time doing. It also really helps with your development and achieving the objectives you'll be set. My manager was also really useful in suggesting training sessions I could go on.

How busy you are depends on timing. There's daily activities, weekly activities and some things that you will just have to do once a month. It was very hectic sometimes, but rarely felt unmanageable. The good thing was that if I had too much to do, my manager was approachable enough to discuss it with her. You need to know how to prioritise!

The responsibility level grew throughout the year. As you learn more and prove yourself you are allowed to do more and more things. My manager was very good at letting me have a go at everything. As you have catch ups and 1-1's, what you are doing is being monitored so they are happy to let you have as much responsibility as you can handle. I really felt like within my team I was a really valued member.

It is really valuable to get industry exposure, regardless of the specific job you want to do after. Approving test reports and problem solving was a really valuable experience. I was also lucky enough to do some industry pattern cutting courses, and product safety training. ASOS is also really good on sending people on training days and visits to testing labs etc. If there's somewhere you really want to go that's relevant, they will do their best to support you.

The pace of work was really fast, because there is SO MUCH product going through at any one time. So its no wonder people do get stressed from time to time. The atmosphere generally though was really nice, there's unlimited tea and coffee, and my team were always up for a brew (note they made me tea too!).

Its quite a big programme, with interns over different departments, I worked in Garment Tech. When you first start you have welcome events where you get to know the other interns. You also have a mentor, who isn't your manager who takes you out for lunch in your first week. Every month throughout the placement they have 'Intern Development Sessions'. These can be speakers from different parts of the business or courses, like MS excel training. The only thing that didn't work very well was that when I arrived they did not know which department I was going to be supporting, which felt quite disorganised. However, once I had a department, everything was fine.

As mentioned on one of the other questions, they invested a lot. I worked really hard and they are keen to reward that. I was on non-clothing which has chemical testing etc so early on they sent me on a product safety training day which was really useful. I was also really fortunate to be taken to Berlin for the first German fit day. The fabric technologist also runs a fabric school which all the new starters are taken through.

Although I enjoyed the placement year, I am still not sure I want to go into Garment Technology. All the other interns who have been there have gone back- the chances are good if you'd like to!

As the interns don't work together people were more friends with their team. We did go for drinks every so often though, all the other students were lovely. ASOS has a great social scene, the huge Christmas and Summer parties they throw were brilliant.

I lived in quite a cheap flat which was manageable on the wage I was on. I probably had a little more left over than when living as a student, so was able to live a fairly decent existence and also save up to go travelling.

The offices are in Camden, which has an amazing nightlife, a lot of famous venues and great night bus connections- never have to get a taxi home.

They have big parties, as mentioned already. They also have a womenswear social committee who held events throughout the year, a Halloween party, picnic sports day, pub quiz. Teams usually do things as well.