Work Experience in a Boots Store

I was really keen to do some work experience linked to retail, and children and babies, so my College Tutor helped me find a work experience placement and phoned a local Boots store to see if they could help support me. The Store Manager, Sally, agreed to meet with me for a short interview, which was successful and I started the following week. On my first day I met Sally and she introduced me to the Boots UK colleagues in all the departments. Sally explained to the colleagues that I would be working in the store on a work experience placement every Friday for the next eight weeks to support my college course. Sally also explained that I am hard of hearing and use a cochlear implant.

I really enjoy working at Boots UK. I get along with the colleagues in store really well and they have all been really supportive. I sometimes find it difficult to communicate with customers when it is busy in the afternoons as they don’t know I’m deaf and I can struggle to lip read, particularly when customers move when they are talking.

Sally makes sure that I always have someone to work with to support me. Normally I work with a colleague called Sandra who shows me where to put products, and sometimes Sandra also gets a trolley of products ready for me.  When I am struggling to communicate with customers, for example recently a customer asked me for baby powder, Sandra helped me and I watched what she did, and how she gave the customer fantastic customer service. I really enjoy working with Sandra, she is really helpful and I’ve been able to learn lots from her.

During the day, I have two breaks and I spend these in the staff room where I can talk to other colleagues and have my lunch.

I have enjoyed my work experience at Boots UK and I have learned a lot about baby products, and how to correctly stock products. I ask a lot of questions and colleagues are always there to help me, for example with the introduction of a new product, I know I can ask and they will show me where to put it.

I want to say thank you to the store manager, Sally, for giving me the opportunity to work at Boots UK and to all the colleagues there for supporting me.