Business Placements
Business placements during your degree
If you need to do a work placement as part of your degree, there’s no better place to get retail experience than with M&S. Our scheme has even been given a Quality Mark by the National Council for Work Experience.
From your point of view, you get first-class experience with one of the UK’s best retailers. And from our side of things, we get people with fresh ideas and new ways of thinking. It’s also the perfect opportunity for us to talent-spot students who’d be perfect for our graduate scheme. Either way, it’s win-win. But don’t just take our word for it – click here to see the feedback from some of our previous Business Placement students.
Placements in Foods, Per Una and Design start in July, all other placements start in September.
What placements are available?
- Retail Management (12 months)
Based in one of our stores, you’ll work on live projects such as leading a seasonal launch as well as workshops, coaching and independent learning. It’s hard work and it’s not always 9-5, with most stores open during the evening and at weekends. But it’s all worth it. Not only do you get top-notch experience as part of a leading retailer; it’s also the chance to see if we’re the perfect match for each other.
- HR (12 months)
You’ll get to experience different areas of our business, whether working with our regional HR business partners, working on a Commercial project with one of our store teams or spending time with one of our regional Policy teams. You’ll also get to work alongside our specialist teams in London and Salford Quays. It’s a great insight into both the commercial and the people side of M&S; from People Policy to Learning and Development. We’re refreshing the HR graduate scheme for 2013, so if you’re successful during the placement, you could be one of the first we invite back to join us on the new scheme.
- Product Design - Menswear & Lingerie (12 months)
Our design teams develop the quality, cutting edge clothing products that our customers expect. Ideally studying garment/fashion design, you’ll work alongside them on a number of live projects; whether it’s researching trends, materials and production techniques, refining existing designs or testing new ones.
- Food Technology (6 months, starting in July)
You’ll work alongside our food technology experts, testing existing products as well as making sure our new ones are safe and tasty and meet our customers’ high expectations. If you’ve got a real passion for food, then this is for you; ideally you’re already studying a food related qualification, and looking for insight into the industry with the nation’s favourite. And at the end of the scheme, we’ll help arrange a placement for you with one of our suppliers to give you even more experience.
- Food Product Development (6 months, starting in July)
When it comes to safe, high quality and tasty food, we lead the way. On this placement, you’ll work with a team of experts developing delicious new products our customers will love, and improving the ones they already do. Ideally you’re already studying a food related qualification, so from the kitchen to the factory you can put your passion to work and gain valuable industry experience. And at the end of the scheme, we’ll help arrange a placement for you with one of our suppliers to give you an even greater insight.
- Ecommerce (12 months)
Our vision is to become a leading international, multi-channel retailer, offering our online customers a seamless high quality shopping experience they won’t find anywhere else. On this placement, you’ll put your commercial instinct, analytical skills and logical mind to the test on a variety of projects, seeing how ecommerce works in a live, large-scale environment. It’s the chance to show your potential as one of our future leaders, with the vision to help us drive this part of the business.
- IT (12 months)
Working in the Project Management Office, you’ll learn about the projects the IT Group are delivering to the business to support our wider commercial goals and provide our customers with a first-class experience. This will provide you with valuable insight into how we manage projects, the best practices involved, and challenges faced.
Your work will touch on all areas of our business, from our website to our warehouses, to retail systems that make a difference to our customers on the shop floor. You don’t necessarily need to be studying for an IT qualification, but an interest in how businesses use technology would be an advantage.
- Per Una (12 months, starting in July) - Trading, Buying or Design placements
Whichever Per Una placement you choose, you’ll gain invaluable experience and insight into this iconic brand. From reviewing store sales and stock as part of the Trading team, to seeking inspiration for our next designer collection, the Per Una placements put you at the forefront of our fashion business.
To join our Trading scheme, you'll ideally be studying a business or merchandising related degree, or a fashion related degree for a placement with our Buying team. And if you’re interested in a Design placement, then you’ll ideally be studying a fashion design related degree. With the exception of the Design scheme which is based at our London Head Office, all Per Una placements are based at Head Office in Draycott, Gloucestershire.
- Logistics (12 months)
Working with the Logistics team at our London head office, you'll also spend time onsite at our new state-of-the-art, 875,000 sq.ft distribution centre in Castle Donington, Derby as you help to make it become a reality. This is a ground-breaking new project for M&S so you'll gain valuable experience whilst making a vital difference to our business.
How long do the business placements last?
Almost all our placements last for 12 months, starting in September. Our placements for Food Product Developers and Food Technologists last for six months, and runs from July to December.
How do the placements work?
Whichever area you’re in, your placement will start with an induction programme, where you’ll learn all about M&S. After that, you’ll go on training courses, and get stuck in to your day-to-day role.
Do I get paid?
Yes. Business placement students get £16,500 - £19,500.
What happens at the end of the placement?
When you’ve finished your placement, we’ll assess how you got on. If you’ve done well and shown that you have potential to go further, we’ll invite you back to join our graduate scheme when you’ve finished your degree.
Before you start the graduate scheme, you’ll go on a three-month programme especially for people who have already done an M&S placement. This will give you the chance to settle back in and learn about anything new.
Is it the same for the Food Product Development and Food Technology placements?
Not quite. At the end of your six months, we can help you arrange another six-month placement with one of our suppliers.
What’s the closing date?
Applications for our 2011/12 business placements have now closed.
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