The door started to creak and it was slowly opening. Then a friendly voice said, “Hello, come in.” I looked up to the tall figure of a black lady, short hair and wearing glasses. She seemed very welcoming. She introduced herself. Her name was Joy and she showed my friend and me to the canteen. When I walked in, to my amazement I found there were three other work experience students gazing at us. They introduced themselves and we did the same. We had a little chat and found out more about each other. I couldn’t stop blushing because I knew I was shy. All the other work experience students were so confident and I felt like the odd one out. Then after fifteen minutes a lady came in. She was short, scruffy hair and had big dimples on her cheeks. She told us she was the Manager of Peacocks. I instantly straightened my posture on the chair and sat in a professional manner.
She told us the rules of the shops and how to treat customers. There was so much information to take in, even more then school. Then we watched a health and safety video. The video was very boring and unexciting. I hardly watched any of it and I saw the others glued to the television screen. Why were they taking so much interest in it? The two hours that went by seemed like a whole week. Then finally it was finished. The manager walked in all hyped up. Suddenly she started asking us questions about the video. All the students got their questions right. Then it was my turn. I started sweating and my body temperature rose rapidly. It felt like I was drowning in my sweat. What do you do if you see a shoplifter steal something? My throat went dry. I felt I was dehydrating. “Tell him to stop and run after him.” The words came out waterless and all the work experience students stared at me. All of a sudden their hands shot up. At this point I realised I had given the wrong answer. I felt embarrassed and stupid. I should have concentrated on the video like the other students. I was thinking of what kind of impression I had set. But the manager never said anything.
We were shown around the shop and introduced to all the staff. I remember one particular man named Mohammed. He seemed very understanding and responsive. I thought if I had any problems then I would come to him for help. We were then taken to the stock room. We were given our first task of the day. We had to unpack stock and put them in order of size on the rails. I felt this was very unchallenging. At one point I was asked if I knew were the equipment room was. I didn’t know where it was but I couldn’t prevent myself from saying that I did know where it was. I put myself in to a big mess but then I remembered Mohammed. I went up to him and asked him where it was and he took me there. I successfully completed the task. For the rest of the day we had to unpack stock.
The next day we were shown how to manage the shop floor. I thought it would be more challenging then the job from the day before. We were taught how to pick up stock from the floor and to put it back on the rails. We were also taught how to pick up hazardous objects from the floor and to ensure a safe working environment for the staff. I thought it would be much easier then unpacking stock.
On this day Mr Hanafi, a schoolteacher came to visit my friend and me and we told him that everything was all right. I thought at that time that my teacher had come to visit us too early. As we had only one day of work yet. But during the course of the day I found out it was much worse. Joy, the friendly lady I met on the first day was always spying on us. When we were slacking even a bit she would come and shout at us in front of the customers. Managing the shop floor was an unpleasant experience. It made my legs tired and it made my back hurt. Worst of all we had to do this for the rest of the work experience.
As the days went on I grew in confidence, communicating with the staff and customers without being shy. I also grew in confidence with the jobs I was doing as I only did two main jobs during the work experience. I felt that the jobs we had to do were very unchallenging and there was no demanding work. I felt used and rejected.
There was one major event that took place during the work experience. I went to prayer one day during my lunchtime thinking I could go prayer and still have another one-hour lunch after prayer. I came back from lunch only to find that the manager was waiting by the entrance to shout at me. She told me that I had to plan my prayer time around my lunchtime. I felt hurt and rejected inside at this point, as it was only a mistake and I realised the harshness of the working life. At this point I wanted the week to finish quickly and I couldn’t wait to finish my work experience.
I think that my work experience didn’t really go as well I wanted to. I didn’t really get a variety of jobs to do and I feel that I was only used. The work experience did give me a little in sight of the working life but I don’t think I really gave me the whole picture. But I do think that I have become more confident with communicating with other people that I don’t know. I think this is the only valuable thing I have achieved from my work experience. In the future I do not wish to work as a sales assistant in a clothing shop due to my experience in Peacocks.
By Uwaish Patel 11WA