Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

As a stores graduate, I am on a two year scheme to work my way from line manager, to lead manager and finally onto a store manager. This is a highly demanding role which includes managing both people and the business to ensure I deliver my operational targets and keep my colleagues happy.

There is no typical day as a manager in such a large company. I spend my time managing my department, learning my trade and looking after colleagues. As the business and sector changes so quickly I have to adapt to this and work with my team to ensure this happens smoothly. I am involved with reviews, day-to-day trade, formal meetings, etc. I also spend a good amount of time at head office, working with the team there to get a rounded image of the business and develop myself as a manager.

I enjoy the variety of things I find myself doing and most importantly, the opportunity for progression that the graduate scheme offers me in such a short period of time.

The challenging aspects - as with all retail - is how quickly one has to change and adapt to keep with the needs of the business. Furthermore, as such huge progression is fit into two years there is a high demand to learn in very quick periods of time - something I thrive off.

This area of work appeals to me due to the fast-paced environment in which I work in, the challenges I face around customer service and balancing this with demands in trade and operations. No day is the same and every day is a challenge.

From my degree, the most important thing I use is the ability to question things, instead of just accepting them, to challenge why something is happening and how can we make it better. My ability to challenge and debate has helped me when looking for solutions in my every day work.

I completed a management internship at Tesco between my second and third year and from this was offered a place on the graduate scheme, providing I gained a 2.1. Upon leaving University in July, I took the summer to travel and enjoy myself before starting my graduate scheme in September.

I would love to one day complete a masters at Sheffield, but this will have to be relevant to my career as I hope to progress through the company.

Don't be concerned about the limitations of a BA - It is the skills that you learn that are valuable to your career - I am a BA graduate and yet sitting in management role straight after graduating on a scheme that allows me to lead large teams and even my own store. If you are interested in a career where change is guaranteed in a fast-paced environment, Tesco is a great place to do it - the progression available is immense - from head office to stores, distribution, etc.

David  MBiolSci Biology (2015)
Supply Chain Analyst  (Buying, selling and retailing)

Accepts questions from students about their career