Simona Cilenti

Over the past year I have been interested in pursuing a career in HR and with assistance from the Manchester Careers Service, I carried out work experience within the HR department of The Co-operative Group.

I worked closely with the Graduate Programme Manager who devised a timetable that would enable me to gain as big an insight into the department as possible. I spent time in all areas, including the Diversity Team, Employee Relations, Talent Management, and the Legal Team.

During my work experience, I not only had the opportunity to observe and ask questions, but was also involved in my own project. This, on a much smaller scale, is similar to the kind of work the graduates do at the start of the scheme, which gave me a great chance to see for myself the kind of work involved during the 18-month programme. My project was in relation to the online graduate application form. My task was to research the online application market and ultimately make recommendations on how the form could be amended for prospective candidates.

After spending time with the HR department it has really helped me understand the diversity that exists within HR and potential areas I could pursue in the future. It has also allowed me to appreciate just how unique The Co-operative Group really is. They are able to balance running a successful business with maintaining their core values and principles in everything they do.

I’ll definitely be applying for the graduate scheme next year and would urge anyone who is interested in a career in HR to undertake some work experience. I have learned a great deal about what exactly is involved in the role and have thoroughly enjoyed my time there.