I began my journey with The Warehouse at the beginning of this year, when I interviewed with the Executive General Manager of Clothing for a co-op placement within the Head to Toe merchandise team. While discussing my background in Economics and International Business, we quickly realised retail planning was a great environment for me to bridge the gap between the classroom and the workplace.
I joined the planning team in the Footwear Department where my role was merchandise support. On my first day I was a little nervous and apprehensive. I had no idea merchandise planning was even a job before Co-op so I was very unsure of how the next 9 weeks was going to go.
Feeling like a little fish in a big pond I was shown the Footwear Department and where I would be sitting for the next 9 weeks. I was excited to see I had my own desk, phone and even an email signature, which made me feel part of the team and ready to tackle the upcoming 9 weeks. I quickly realised however, that before I was going to impress my new colleagues with my knowledge of economic theories I was going to have to take the baby steps including the surprisingly frustrating task of using the photocopier and how to accept meeting invites on outlook.
Some of the most valuable experience I gained during my placement was not just putting theories into practice but also learning how to interact in the work environment and be part of a team. I found this is a skill that can’t be learnt from a textbook but one which can only be done in practice.
My work place supervisor acted as my mentor and provided plenty of support throughout my 9 weeks. At the beginning of the placement I spent my time shadowing them, which exposed me to the day to day activities of a merchandise planner. I saw first-hand the fundamentals of economics being used in day to day life. Ever since my first Economics class, the theories of supply and demand have been drilled into me, and it was so interesting to see the contrasts of how these theories function in the real world compared to a textbook in the university lecture theatre. As I began to learn the ropes I was given my own projects to work on allowed me to incorporate theories learnt in the classroom and apply them in a practical setting. Not only did I expand my knowledge but I also learnt not to be afraid to ask questions and to take the initiative and just ask when I wasn’t sure what I was doing.
About halfway through my placement, a role became available which was subsequently offered to me. I was absolutely thrilled to have secured a job before graduating, as well as getting to continue to work with the great people I had met in the footwear team. I truly had never considered merchandise planning as a career that would expand on my knowledge and I now like to encourage other economic students to look into this as a great career opportunity.
I am now starting to feel like a bigger fish in the pond. I’ve even come full circle and have begun mentoring a new co-op student who has also studied Economics. Working with a new co-op student makes me realize how far I have come since university, not just professionally but on a personal level as well and I look forward to seeing my Co Op student grow and progress in the same way.
Find out more about working at The Warehouse on our Careers site.
1 Comment
Great company to work with