Kavya Pillutla
Current Role: Internship – Food
Location: Welwyn Garden City Campus
Joined Tesco: Summer 2018
Read Kavya's story
I am currently studying Biology at the University of Bristol and about to enter my third and final year. if I’m really honest with myself before I applied and started my internship I hadn’t really thought about life after university.
When people asked me what my plans were, I assumed I would just continue my education by enrolling on a master’s programme. I thought the Tesco internship could be a fantastic opportunity to engage with something I’m passionate about. Food. Everyone knows the scale of the Tesco business so really there was only one place to go to gain as much insight into food retail. It is such a fast paced, customer focused, innovative environment, there are so many interesting changes that are happening in retail today and Tesco is at the forefront of the evolution. I thought "I want to be part of that’".
“This experience will hold me in good stead no matter what I do in the future.”
It was great, all interns at Tesco had real life projects to work on and were all given responsibility from day one. My project had the potential to make a real difference and that’s what was exciting. It was broadly aimed at getting the right range of fruits in the right stores. I focused on exotic fruits and had to come up with a plan to reduce waste and improve sales in this category. I had great guidance from my manager every step of the way, he provided me with the independence to determine the path to take. In addition to learning how to break down a complex problem into smaller actionable steps and analysing large volumes of data, the project taught me the importance of collaborating with different stakeholders, communicating clearly with them, and being creative to overcome obstacles.
I really enjoyed the opportunity to interact and work with people from different backgrounds and different parts of the business to achieve a common goal - providing the customer with the best possible product. I was even asked to accompany the team to Murcia, Spain to meet the melon suppliers in the second week of the internship! I saw first-hand how much thought and care goes into providing the best for Tesco’s customers. I learned that finding the best tasting fruit, while very important, was just a start. Ensuring sufficient supply at the right price and time requires the cultivation of strong relationships with suppliers, and service providers. This was an incredible opportunity and I learned so much.
“As an intern you aren’t expected to know all the answers and asking questions is a part of the journey.”
My team members were very welcoming and always willing to help and were friendly from the start. Everyone got on with each other and people genuinely love their jobs. My Manager was always available to answer questions and make introductions where I needed them. He was also very supportive of visits I needed to make to suppliers to get information for my project. I think the fact that I did not feel out of place even though I was only there for a short period of time is a testament to the fact that Tesco is a welcoming place that everyone can feel comfortable in no matter what.
I would say definitely go for it then get involved in as many activities as you can. Tesco has so much to offer and this is your chance to explore so many different opportunities. As an intern you aren’t expected to know all the answers and asking questions is a part of the journey. So ask as many questions as you want. Also, take every opportunity that is thrown at you as this internship is an experience of a lifetime and you’ll develop skills for life.
Last summer I completed my Bharatanatyam Arangetram, my first solo performance of South Indian Classical Dance on stage in front of a large audience. This is a huge event in my culture and probably one of the scariest things I have done in my life. This Summer I have successfully completed my Internship, another new experience, definitely not scary but life affirming and just as rewarding.
Next Summer I will be graduating from university, another moment in time, I have already gone through the application process for a place on the Tesco Graduate Programme, fingers crossed I could be back for more.
Need some help deciding on the right programme?
Need some help deciding on the right programme?
Here at Tesco we like to help. We know the working world can seem a daunting place, and with so much on offer, we thought we'd help you to pick the right programme for you.