Apprentice Warehouseman / Counter Sales Review

My job role is warehouse and counter sales. On a day to day basis my job is to greet customers and help them with their enquiries and to make sure all deliveries are marked off and put in their desired locations. I am also responsible for making sure the warehouse is kept clean so that me and my colleagues have a safe working environment.

I have learned many things throughout my time here at Howdens, such as people skills. I have learnt to deal with a different range of people and how to make sure I provide a service which is tailored to their individual needs. I have also learnt a lot about the trade and different types of jobs and the endless amounts of opportunities that it holds. Since being here I have also gained in house forklift training.

I very much enjoy the programme that I am on. I encounter many different things on a day to day basis. Working at Howdens has exceeded my expectations by providing me with something to be able to give all my effort to and making sure that the jobs I am doing are always going to be up to a high standard.

I feel that the team I've worked with have supported me by helping to understand the things that I didn't know before. I find that it's always a real team effort to make sure every member of staff is okay.

My programme is very well structured by making sure that I have a list of things to do and always keeps me busy. The members of the team are always available to help me keep things in order also. My programme is also flexible which is a major thing for me.

My tutor has never failed me. He always makes sure that he is on time and helps me to make sure that I understand things to a high degree when I struggle with things.

My employer always gives me support and helps me to understand what I need to do and in the right way. They have always guided me to do the right things and how to do things properly. They always have a positive attitude towards giving me a helping hand when needed and have been more than understanding when I haven't been able to understand something quite as easy.

My salary from my apprenticeship has always gone towards making sure that I get what I need but I don't feel that it's enough money for a young person who needs to get things in line for the future, I.E getting a driving license, a car, a house, etc.

For the youth of today I don't feel that there are many opportunities to be able to have a great future. Not many people are given the opportunities they deserve because they may not have a letter on a piece of paper to say that they are qualified to do something. Things aren't structured in the right way and I believe that there needs to be a change. Being at Howdens always made sure that I had something to do inside of work and outside of work such as going for meals with the team and going on days out.

Yes

I would recommend Howdens to a friend because I have always gotten on well in this job and always feel that I have been looked after.

My advice for someone applying to Howdens would be to go for it and take a chance.