"I have loved meeting different people"

What were you doing before you joined Lidl and what attracted you to the company?

I was doing an Economics degree at Sheffield Hallam University. I was attracted to the rotational aspect of the placement programme as I hadn’t come across other programmes with this element. I've had lots of exposure in lots of different areas that's allowed me to get a good idea of what I would want to specialise in after university.

What does a day in your life look like?

I would initially shadow different people for a few days and get shown something different in each department. I then took  responsibility for that – for example in Logistics I watched someone run a shift for a week and then I got involved and was eventually left to do it myself. I got a lot of Graduate exposure in Logistics and spent time with a Logistics Graduate which was great. I also worked alongside Assistant Team Managers in each department and would take over various jobs they usually do.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I love that I wasn’t just shadowing someone constantly from the start; I was given a lot of responsibilities and this was great especially considering that I had just come from university and hadn’t held a role like this before; now I am trained at a managerial level which is crazy! I have had a lot of exposure to different areas of the business. I have loved meeting different people in the company and making connections. Everyone is always willing to help you and I feel I have built a great support network. It was also great to have the opportunity to work with Employer Branding again on a photoshoot after spending time with them as part of my Head Office experience. I don’t feel like there is a visible hierarchy at Lidl – the senior team are so supportive and involved with placement students.

What do you enjoy most about working for Lidl?

I appreciate the work/life balance I can have whilst working at Lidl and the employee benefits. Everyone has a great work ethic and drive at the company and is working together to achieve the same goal and wants the business to do well which builds a sense of unity. There are always opportunities for young people and it's led to me wanting to apply for one of the Graduate schemes eventually.

What three words would you use to describe Lidl?

Busy, motivational, rewarding.