Liaison Officer Review
at Matalan
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Logistics and Operations
Liverpool
Review Submitted: May 2022
Overall Rating
4.8 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
4.8/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
My primary role is concerned with the wellbeing of our 1,500+ Logistics staff. I am a Mental Health First Aider and can help people in a wide variety of situations. I am also responsible for providing Internal Communication for the Logistic teams using media ranging from posters and briefs to videos. Every day is different and the Covid-19 pandemic meant that I had to adapt accordingly to ensure the safety of our staff, their families and our customers.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
The Trainer Assessor was excellent. Not only did he possess a wealth of knowledge, but he also fully appreciated the challenges we faced within our roles at work and provided a degree of flexibility within the programme to accommodate the needs of the business. This was particularly important for me, as the commencement of my programme coincided with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and I was integral to ensuring that the business was able to continue operating in a safe and controlled way throughout. The use of the latest technology enabled us to stay in contact and work together 'virtually' throughout.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
It's been many years since I was involved in formal training of this sort, so the programme was particularly useful to me as a reminder of the techniques I used to use when I worked in the manufacturing sector. It also enabled me to develop those skills and adapt them for the different challenges that I now face in my current role.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The programme was well organised and structured, but there was built in flexibility that enabled us to focus upon elements that were particularly relevant to our roles in more detail. The Trainer Assessor was critical in ensuring that we navigated our way through the programme and addressed any issues as they arose.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
My employer was committed to ensuring that I was allowed enough time each week to devote to the programme. When the needs of the business made this impractical, for example when I needed to devote a significant amount of time implementing new ways of working to ensure the safety of our staff and customers during the Covid-19 pandemic, additional time was allowed to get back on track with the programme.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
5/5
The Trainer Assessor fully appreciated the external factors and needs of the business that reduced the amount of time I could devote to the programme at certain times and provided the flexibility I needed to stay on track. He was always available for consultation and the use of Microsoft Teams made the sharing of information very efficient.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
Refreshing my knowledge of techniques that I first used many years ago, together with developing these skills and adapting them to the challenges of my current role have certainly improved my effectiveness. In addition, exposure to the wider business and personnel with complementary skills and experience has enabled me to build a network of contacts across the business that also enhances my performance.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
They are currently quite limited, but this is something that I am now in a position to address. I can now see the value in such extra-curricular activities and aim to develop a range of activities that will encourage our staff to develop relationships outside of work that could benefit team building within the organisation. My plans include activities that'll also benefit the local community.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Matalan to a friend?
Yes
Why?
There are opportunities to develop as an individual and develop a career for people who want to move forward. A number of our senior managers joined the business on the shopfloor and worked their way up. We have schemes that enable staff to gain experience in other roles whilst training and, for those who are simply looking for a steady job, you couldn't hope to work with a nicer bunch of people.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Matalan?
Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the role or roles that interest you and take steps to prepare yourself for those roles in advance. You can learn a lot on line and, by showing that you are serious about working in a specific field, you'll have a much greater chance of succeeding.
