Team Manager Review

Overseeing the day to day running of a busy convenience food store. Helping to both motivate and develop my fellow colleagues. Ensuring customers are put at the heart of everything we do. Particularly in the current Covid-19 circumstances, both colleague and customer safety is our top priority, giving them piece of mind when choosing to shop with us.

Whilst on my apprenticeship we have covered lots of topics which I thought I already knew about. This has greatly improved my knowledge base and given me new perspectives with which to view my day-to-day tasks. It has taught me that, more than ever before, planning is key to succeeding. Balancing my normal work alongside the apprenticeship has been challenging but in a worthwhile way.

My fellow Apprentices have really made the program what it is for me. As a natual introvert, I am not normally one to make myself stand out which this program is helping me to push myself to extend my comfort zones. Working alongside a group of people with varying experience and backgrounds helps to give new and interesting perspectives.

The University websites are difficult to navigate to find resources on, with everything spread across multiple sites each with their own logins. Some work is given with little notice, close to other deadlines, making it difficult to have to find time for. As learning is now done remotely I feel the sessions could have been broken down into smaller condensed making it easi6to refer back to if needed.

Time away from my normal duties is provided by my employer. I often need to put in my own time though to stay on track, it can be challenging planning in group project work around the running of the store with holidays and sickness etc.

I have a personal tutor who I can contact if I need support. I am able to submit partially completed work for tutor feedback on to check if I am along the right lines too which is very useful.

I am currently a deputy manager in a food store who is looking to progress upto a store manager role with options to progress beyond that. This course is giving me the valuable insight and knowledge needed to make that happen.

There are lots of events, both from my employer and from the university but no time is given for attending these, it needs to be done in your own time (possibly could be done in time given if you are very capable).

Yes

It's great to work for an ethically based company that put the customer and community at the heart of everything they do. They have great benefits and lots of options for developing yourself and others.

Coop recruit based on behaviours, not skills. Skills are often easily learnt but behaviours are much more difficult to develop. Particularly in today's uncertain times, it's great to work for a company as stable as Coop.