What I learnt from my work placement at Aldi as a Business Management Student
Kelsy Wharton
Final-Year Business Management BA(Hons)
Hello everyone, my name is Kelsy Wharton, and I'm currently a final-year Business Management student at the University of Huddersfield. I undertook a one-year work placement at Aldi between my second and final year, and now I've secured a graduate position at PwC, one of the largest international accounting and professional services firms.
In this blog, we learn about Kelsy’s career journey so far and how she managed to land a fantastic graduate position at a Big 4 company.
1. Where did you find out about the placement and graduate job opportunities?
I found out about the placement opportunity at Aldi via word of mouth at the University. Lots of students talk often about placements and share opportunities with one another. The placements team at Huddersfield Business School advertises opportunities via email to students and you can also view placement openings via the internal placement portal, ePlacements.
I found out about the graduate job at PwC by looking on the company’s website. I had been made aware of the business and the opportunities it offers from the very start of my degree and I thought the company sounded interesting and had some great opportunities for graduates.
2. How did the Huddersfield Business School placement team support you with your securing your placement?
I had a fantastic experience with the placement team at the Business School. The team supported me with advice on CV writing, group assessment guidance, and interview preparation. They were also on hand to help whenever I had any questions either via email or in person at their daily drop-in. I am incredibly grateful for the team’s help and support!
3. How did your placement at Aldi benefit you?
The placement I undertook at Aldi benefited me significantly – both personally and professionally. I found the placement overall extremely challenging. It taught me a lot about organisational behaviour, work cultures, and management styles. It taught me a lot about myself such as what I am like in a professional setting and who I want to be at work. The placement taught me to be my authentic self and the importance of integrity and staying true to your beliefs and values.
4. What did you enjoy most about your placement at Aldi?
The professional development I gained was enjoyable. I developed real technical skills in data analysis, auditing, and project management, giving me excellent exposure to these aspects of work. I liked the autonomy I was given. I was able to schedule my day from start to finish, which enable me to develop my organisational and time management skills further. I also loved networking and meeting people while on placement. I have made lifelong friends with brilliant people.
5. What skill do you think you have improved the most while on placement?
I developed my ability to demonstrate patience and flexibility while on placement. I was required to manage upwards of 20 staff at once, who all have different needs. I improved my communication skills too. At the beginning of my placement, I received some feedback that I should try to improve my communication by updating more regularly on the progress of my work. Following this advice, I worked hard to improve this skill. I had only ever worked independently before this role, so it was great to get some personal development advice that I could work on. I also developed some savvy Excel skills, which is a real bonus for my CV.
6. What skills from your degree did you use on your placement?
There were lots of skills I could apply to the work on my placement that I developed in my course at university. I couldn’t possibly talk about them all, but to give some examples, during the project management aspect of the placement role, I was able to offer valuable critical insight and alternate perspectives on issues within logistic chains and store operations. My degree has taught me a lot about organisational behaviour and how businesses work, so I was able to hit the ground running when starting my placement. Finally, I was able to utilise my presentation skills on placement. I had to present to store Operation Directors bi-weekly, so being confident in this area was incredibly important and very helpful. The presentation aspect of modules on my course really allowed me to develop this skill before the placement.
7. What are your career aspirations?
Honestly, I couldn’t pinpoint my exact long-term career aspirations right now, and I’m okay with that, but I would like to be an expert in my field. I’d like to be happy, successful, and a role model for others who makes a positive difference in the world. I’ve been offered an interesting role within PwC, which I’m looking forward to starting when I graduate!
8. What is your dream job?
My dream job would be something that requires lots of creativity. I enjoy social research and I like meeting and speaking with new people. I would say that I am very people focused. I’d love to be able to cater to the betterment of the world… so a creative role within corporate social responsibility (CSR) or sustainability would be a good fit for me. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds!
More information
If you would like to find out more about the Business Management BA(Hons) course, please visit www.courses.hud.ac.uk/2023-24/full-time/undergraduate/business-management-ba-hons/