Work-Based Learning Experience at Tesco: A Comprehensive Report

This report delves into the significance of work-based learning programs in achieving career goals. It examines the benefits of such programs for both learners and organizations, using Tesco as a case study. The report explores the research and evaluation of suitable organizations, negotiation of work experience proposals, and the recognition of business constraints. It further outlines a detailed work experience plan, analyzes the benefits of proposed activities, and discusses the fulfillment of placement requirements. The report also includes systematic records of work undertaken, revisions to the initial plan, and suggestions for improvement. Finally, it evaluates the quality of the learner's performance, analyzes the learning experience, and provides recommendations for enhancing future work-based learning programs.

WORK BASE EXPERIENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5
Task..................................................................................................................................................6
AC1.1 research and evaluate suitable organisations that could provide industry experience....6
AC1.2 negotiate with work and academic supervisors a proposal for the work experience.......7
AC1.3 recognise the business constraints on the work experience offered.................................8
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................9
AC2.1 agree and prioritise the tasks and responsibilities involved in the work experience.......9
AC2.2 produce a plan for the work experience........................................................................11
AC2.3 analyse the benefits of the proposed activities to thebusiness and the learner..............13
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................14
AC3.1 fulfil specified requirements of placement conforming to all related codes of practice 14
AC3.2 produce systematic records of work undertaken............................................................15
AC3.3 revise the initial plan as required...................................................................................18
AC3.4 make suggestions for Improvement and review these with appropriate supervisor......20
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................21
AC4.1 monitor progress against original proposal....................................................................21
AC4.2 evaluate the quality of own performance.......................................................................22
AC4.3 analyse the learning which has taken place during the work experience using suitable
reflections..................................................................................................................................23
AC4.4 make recommendations on how the experience could have been enhanced................24
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................25
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................26

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Systematic records of work.............................................................................................15
Table 2: Skills to be revised...........................................................................................................18

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Agreeing and prioritising the tasks and responsibilities...................................................9

INTRODUCTION
This report will discuss about importance of work-based learning program to gain opportunities
over the desired career goals. This program will improve the career path of individual learners.
The institutes are changing their courses in order to provide work-based learning program.
Organizations that can deliver the industry experience and research will be elaborated, mines
work based proposal and negotiations will also be discussed. The constraints faced by business
organization to promote work-based program will be discussed. Agreeing and prioritising the
instruction is necessary for the learners. A plan has been developed in the report. Also the benefit
over the organisation as well as employees has been discussed. Systematically work recording is
discussed in the section. The original plans are revised and suggestions are given for the
improvement of actual plan. The report also talks about monitoring the progress, evaluation of
quality, and analysis of the learning. I will prepare the work based planning and discuss the
experiences as a sales executive planner at Tesco.

Task
AC1.1 research and evaluate suitable organisations that could provide industry experience
The main reason behind my choice of selecting Tesco for perusing my career is due to it’s being
a well established organization and the business strategy applied in the organization concern
mainly over domestic market that has helped the organization to maintain a sustainable growth.
Tesco also emphasis on the customers as well as the employees who are working for the
organization for achieve its objectives. Tesco is considered as one of the internationally reputed
supermarkets of United Kingdom providing satisfactory product and services along with good
quality (Tesco Plc., 2018). Tesco tries to deliver their best services to the customers thus its
recruits more efficient employees along with all kind ethical and legal considerations.
 Human Resources: Tesco is quite successful in creating best suitable environment for
the staff members so that their highest potential can be reached. Organizational culture is
very friendly and encouraging that has helped it to attain this ambition of reaching and
sustaining the multichannel growth. By recruiting the talented employees it ensures that
organizational business is working effectively along with right structuring.
 Financial resources: Consequences of financial impacts is the main asset of Tesco
Group. The organization in the course of time has achieved a remarkable growth in the
profit rate. Increase in the organizational capital helps in generation of high cash return
for the organization and all the associated stakeholders.
 Physical Resources: All the resources that are manmade in the organization created with
the skills and abilities are called as the Physical resources. For instance, building,
technology, etc. Infrastructure of the organizational buildings of Tesco is very attractive
that helps in drawing more customers towards their services.

AC1.2 negotiate with work and academic supervisors a proposal for the work experience
The process of negotiation helps in settling down differences between various parties and to
achieve best result. In an organisation, employee needs to negotiate along with employer for
getting an expected job with specific terms and conditions.
An employee can directly or indirectly contact the organization in several manner some of them
are discussed below:
Referrals: when an existing employee of the organization suggests an individual for a particular
or vacant job in company the organization then it is called referrals. In some organizations
incentives are offered for this purpose.
Organizational websites: Job can be applied through the official website where sections are
made especially for available post. Candidate need to upload their resume for the respective job
and short listing is done accordingly (Tesco career, 2018).
Recruitment agencies: big organization collaborates with different agencies for conducting
meeting and interview.
Various methods of negotiations are:
Win Lose strategy: In this type of strategy, one of the two parties has to compromise for
concluding the overall discussion. Here one party loss and other wins, hence this is also known
as competitive strategy.
Win –win strategy: here, conclusion is made between two parties through mutual negotiation
between them hence both the party wins at last thus it is a cooperative strategy.

AC1.3 recognise the business constraints on the work experience offered
Tesco arranges various programs for gaining work based experience and also for internships.
These practices are followed with a purpose of recruiting well trained and experienced human
resources in the workforce. The organization opt for learning programs and internship for
developing adequate knowledge and skills among the learner and making them accustom
regarding the working culture and environment within the organization. This in return helps the
organization to gain benefits. However, there are few constrains that the organization can come
along while practicing this methods.
 Time Management: issues of time management may arise within the organization as
skilled professional and qualified executives are remain mostly engaged for providing
training and knowledge to interns during the training sessions (Wenger-Trayner et al
2014).
 Additional costs: Extra budget is required for providing work based experience and
training, which is an organizational constraints. To give proper working experience the
organization has to offer proper materials that is an additional cost the organization need
to bear.
 Maintenance of organizational standards: Maintaining the organizational standard can
be hard for the new interns and learner being unaware of the applied policies and code for
different practices.

Task 2
AC2.1 agree and prioritise the tasks and responsibilities involved in the work experience
The assigned responsibility and tasks need to be prioritized; it helps in attaining professional
success within the working environment. By prioritizing and agreeing the provided work, one
can perform well become a successful sales executive.
Figure 1: Agreeing and prioritising the tasks and responsibilities
 Set objectives: Proper objectives associated with the tasks are done for assessing skills
that are required for achieving the task’s objectives (Helyer, 2015). Priority of task is
according to the efforts and skill needed for performing them.
 Deadlines: For becoming a responsible and proficient professional, one must be skilled
enough to meet the expected deadlines for a specific task. The deadlines must be
respected and hence work must be organized and work flow must be maintained so that
targets can be met in the respected time period. Work must be prioritized accordingly by
identifying the provided task and skills must be used respectively for competing them. .
 Identification and measuring pros and cons: Pros and cons of the task as well as the
objective must be calculated for completion of the provided task. The organizational
success can be affected by tasks that have greater importance either positively or
Set objectives Time scale
Deadlines
Identification
and
measuring
pros and cons

negatively. Task can be measure as per their importance and priority through which the
impacts of pro and con for the organization can be understood.
 Time scale: It is expected to set time scale, this must be done for every task unit so that
responsibility for work completion can be distributed.

AC2.2 produce a plan for the work experience
The following plan will be helpful in depicting the actual time required by me for understanding
the entire undertaken project as well as the work schedule. Presently, I have been assigned with
various works. Therefore, for effective working I need to make an appropriate plan accordingly
that will be helpful in discharge responsibilities upon me.
Work experience Plan: here, I must generate data regarding the significant work that has been
assigned to be that will be effective in understanding the work interdependency. Some of the
effective task is check consistently with collaboration of the accountant while dealing with the
cash counter. A proper and systematic planning is required for listing out the order of tasks as
per my work experience and academic.
Tesco’s based work experience
Job description: Sales Executive
Report to: Sales executive manager
Location: London, UK
Start date: 9th October 2016 Finish date: 31st December 2017
Days per week: 5 days
Hours per day: 5 hours Total working hours: 175 hours
____________________________________________________________________________
Aim:
 To respect instructor’s instructions
 To respect organizational employees
 To offer standard jobs
 To achieve proper knowledge and skills
____________________________________________________________________________
Areas of interest:

 Improving quality of team working
 Skills development
__________________________________________________________________________
Learning objectives:
 Development of team management skills
 organizational policies are maintained
__________________________________________________________________________
Organizational benefit:
 Attraction of current talents toward organization
 Increase in potential work force
Clear learning plan helps in proper understanding regarding the performance criteria of
organisations. Appropriate work based plan helps in setting objectives more than achieving the
learner programmes. Clear plan clearing impacts the understanding of need of the learner and
improve where required.

AC2.3 analyse the benefits of the proposed activities to thebusiness and the learner
Programs for Work based learning are quite beneficial with respect to the organization as well as
the trainees. For the learner it proves to be very helpful to increase their knowledge and to attain
desired position with respect to future prospective. From the organizational point of view, with
the work based program it can attain workforce that is sufficiently talented and skilled.
Benefits for organizations:
 Productivity: Using the work-based learning as well internship, organization is capable
of increasing is present productivity. Organization can also enhance the learner’s ability
by given them proper experience and skills (Kolb, 2014). In this manner organization can
minimize the cost required while hiring new employees. The interns are encourages to be
more creative by the organizational training that in turns helps in achieving necessary
organizational goals.
 Future talent pool: The organization providing work based experiences has better
understanding regarding future talent pool. The performance of the leaner is assessed that
helps in knowing and understanding the learner’s ability regarding the target achievement
of the organization.
Benefits for the learners
 Professional environment: the learner can have proper acknowledgment regarding the
working environment of the organization along with the activities and practice to be
performed within the environment through work based experience.
 Work experience: Work based experiences helps in gaining knowledge and skill
required in the organization in the real time practice.

Task 3
AC3.1 fulfil specified requirements of placement conforming to all related codes of practice
Every organisation has their own set of standards and quality that are to be maintained by the
employees working, as according to which the entire organisation function to attain its objective.
Tesco is one of the top most supermarkets in UK and has good reputation globally. This status
could be attained by applying and following suitable standards and rules for the employees. For
being a successfully skilled sale executive I have to adapt and learn all the organisational rules
and code during the training session provided to me at my initial stage.
According to mentor’s suggestion, I need to increase my knowledge though performance with
respect to the organisational code and standard that will helpful in enhancing and developing my
career professionally (Savery, 2015). Understanding practices and code will assist me in
gathering knowledge along with ethical practices. As per the suggestion of my instructor, I need
to improve my performance by analysing organisational requirements for productive and future
career growth within organisation.
For being a successful sales executive, I must be capable of gaining knowledge regarding the
organisational practice and codes. As per the code and practices followed in Tesco, I must
develop my technological knowledge in the area of customer services. Tesco is very effective in
providing customer satisfactory service by implementation of advance technologies. It is quite
important to gather knowledge and apply them practically for increasing my skill with
instructor’s assistance.
The management of the organisation also ensure proper safety and health of the working
environment via proper inspections together with hygiene standards for providing high level of
customer service. It is the responsibility of the management to checks various working areas
covering the fire exit, technological machine, electrical goods and its standards, medical backups
that are for stuff security. Therefore, for becoming efficient sales executive I must gather
appropriate knowledge regarding theseS policies applied in the organisation.

AC3.2 produce systematic records of work undertaken
Using the advance technology, HR is capable of keeping the record of work done in two
different systematic methods covering the process of selection and recruitment and selection
In the First method, recruitment of the candidate that stays in a distant place is taken into
consideration as for the process of recruitment in Tesco many rounds of interview processing
conducted. Thus, online sites like Skype can be used for video conferencing for performing
online interviews and online test. However, in second case, internet can be used for checking the
background of candidate and also in assessment process.
Table 1: Systematic records of work
DATE ACTIVITY OBEJCTIVES ASSESSEMENT NEXT AIM
01/03/2017-
06/03/2017
To analyze and
evaluate new
candidate’s resume.
Checking vacant
positions in the
organization so
that the new
candidates can be
placed their as per
their experience
and whose resume
qualification.
Satisfactory work
requires completing
the work within 3
days.
Short listing
candidates.
07/03/2017-
11/03/2017
Candidate Short-
listing is to be done
for the vacant
designations.
Right candidate
must be chosen as
per the vacant
designations and
their
responsibilities.
Excellent work. Arranging an
interviews
12/03/2017-
14/03/2017
Schedule interview. Behavior and
attitude of
candidates is
check along with
his purpose of
Satisfactory work,
suitable candidates
were selected as per
the jobs.
Online written
test
Conduction.

retention. The
communication
skills and passion,
confidence is also
checked for their
survival in Tesco.
15/03/2017-
19/03/2017
Test are Conducted
for the candidates.
Online tests are
effective in
judging
candidate’s ability
and learning skill
as per their
placement.
Satisfactory work,
however more input is
expected while
enquires were made
regarding suitability
of the online test from
their own
Arranging
training
session.
20/03/2017-
22/03/2017
To arrange training
rooms and setting
settings for power
point presentation
for providing
induction training to
new candidates
regarding the
organization and
policies.
The employees
are made familiar
with the
organization
through Induction
training along
with their role and
responsibility for
the designation
there is placed for.
Excellent
arrangement
Offering
employee
training.
23/03/2017
-
31/03/2017
To arrange proper
training rooms for
offering training to
the new candidates
by expertise and
manager with respect
to their job
description.
Expert provides
project specific
training regarding
their function and
activities. .
Satisfactory work and
excellent feedbacks.
To keep
employees
record and
working status
and salary.

AC3.3 revise the initial plan as required
Skills that are to be analyzed while revising initial plan:
Table 2: Skills to be revised
Skill groups Specific skills
Personal
skills
 Self actualization and assurance
 Adaptation and learning different skills
 Time management
 Risk-taking and risk-handling ability
Interpersona
l skills
 Client cooperation
 Communication and documentation skills
 Presentation skills for reporting to the higher management
 Technological skills (video conferencing, email, modern
payment system)
 Management skills
Academic
skills
 Management and analyzing skills of the project
 Risk assessment and Critical assessment skills
 Confidence in professional field
In the above table, skills that are necessary professional development are provided. With the
skill, a learner or a employee can effectively develop their present skills to enhances their
professional level. The mentioned skills are very mush necessary for being a successful sales
executive. An individual needs to develop his career by gaining knowledge and adapting
different skills for being a successful person.

AC3.4 make suggestions for Improvement and review these with appropriate supervisor
Some of the suggestion that I would like put forward for the organization are:
To ensure only right candidate is chosen in the organization for the vacant role.
Reason behind this is very simple as there are some candidate who wants associate with Tesco
only because for its brand name not because of their interest (Helyer, 2015). In such case the
candidate may lose their interest in course of time that will affect the overall productivity.
Candidate can also opt to switch the job if he gets other job opportunities in field of interest.
Hence, Tesco must choose right candidate for right post those who will retain the job provided in
the organization.
To ensure hiring of new talent and to provided proper training for organizational benefit.
Hiring a fresh candidate or fresher is considered to be a more effective. With new job, Fresher
gets highly motivated and they tend to understand and work hard within organization and to
prove them. Freshers are creative and have fresh minds hence it’s is quite easy for the
organization to mold them as per the organizational need and culture.
For enhancing the organizational productivity, my recommendation is that the new talents must
be provided with additional motivational training. New generation is associated latest
technological advancement. Hence it is suggested new employees must be allowed to contribute
their ideas and thought to the organization.

Task 4
AC4.1 monitor progress against original proposal
In regular intervals, work-based programs must be audited and monitored. This process is quite
effective in checking performance of originally executed plan or proposal. Original proposal
must be check for finding the improvisations which is required to be done.
 Planning and direction of Career: Performance mapping is done for understanding the
direction of learner and his approached. This process will be helpful for learner to select
right path or to select alternative career as per their interest. For deciding the action plan
in future for an individual it is mandatory that strong base is created in present by
performing in a strong manner and mapping potentials and skills.
 Regular auditing process, testing and meetings: checking must be conducted during
the process of learning. Audit process helps in bring changes and for improvisations.
Whereas, meetings will be helpful for ensuring modules and activities that are mentioned
are studied learned and tested for authenticity of the final process.

AC4.2 evaluate the quality of own performance
Work-based learning program after conveying need to be evaluated on the basis of quality in
performance while the process of understanding and learning. Development must be done
regarding proper utilization of appropriate applications and process implementation. Self-
performing quality can be assessed by various ways like:
 Acquiring the competency and skills from learner.
 Departmental performance of the team is helpful to evaluate the individual performance.
 In term of execution and implementation of activities and the expertise level will help in
revealing the areas that need to be improve.

AC4.3 analyse the learning which has taken place during the work experience using suitable
reflections
The report of the process of the learner must be provided to the instructors and the academic
tutors. This information is helpful for knowing and understanding the status of progress during
working experience program. Using this reports, academic institutes can effectively develop
assessment regarding learning and training progress of the learner. And the information can be
used later by their respective teacher for developing a curriculum that will be helpful for
enhancing them with respect to future context.
Journals Assessments: work-based log and the journals maintained by the learned in the course
of work based experience program. Once the evaluation of task is completes the learner develops
the learning logs. These journals and logs are analyzed by the academic tutor for reviewing and
understanding the need and requirement of the learner for proper career planning.
Assessment of the supervisors: The supervisor analyzes the assessments and feedbacks that the
instructor gives that helps in understanding performance standards and according to this proper
appraisal can be provide by the mentor (Garnett, 2016).
From work based learning I can attain ability for analyzing various demands and present trend
associated with customers services.

AC4.4 make recommendations on how the experience could have been enhanced
Clarification of goals: In attending the work-based programme the objectives of mine was to
improve the current skills and also to enhance the knowledge over the organisational
performances standards and qualities. Clarification regarding the goal for which work based
programme is required is essential, through the work-based program I would like to become a
professional sales executive, improve my current skills and personal abilities. Gain knowledge in
the field of sales to become an executive.
Supportive working environment: Infrastructure and efficient working environment is
essential in work-based learning, supportive culture is required to impart proper experience and
knowledge among the learners (Boud and Solomon, 2001). Only during a supportive
environment, the learners can place queries and resolve the same. It is the duty of seniors to
provide proper environment so that the learners don’t hesitate to put queries.
Opportunity to express: The queries can only be solved if the learners are given an opportunity
to express. Different ideas and perceptions enable effective learning and provide suitable
solutions to problems. The management of the organisation should provide such opportunities
and encourage the learners to express their ideas over the work-based programme. On analysing
the ideas and problems of the learner, the management can take effective decision for
improvising the same.

CONCLUSION
As per the report it has been discussed that work based learning is essential to promote skill
within employees. This work based learning enables employees to gather proper knowledge for
practical skills and implications of theoretical knowledge. Work based learning provides a
deeper knowledge of the subject matter over what is required as a professional only. It inculcates
a sense of knowledge and skill. Institutes not only offer work courses but also offer internship
programme and placement at work. Tesco is delivering proper knowledge and training of skills
which are desired by the learners like me. Work based learning is thus essential to promote
training and efficient and effective working in any organisation.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Boud, D. and Solomon, N., 2001. Work-based learning: a new higher education?. McGraw-Hill
Education (UK).
Garnett, J., 2016. Recognising, assessing and rewarding work experience. In Understanding
Work-Based Learning (pp. 75-80). Routledge.
Helyer, R., 2015. Learning through reflection: the critical role of reflection in work-based
learning (WBL). Journal of Work-Applied Management, 7(1), pp.15-27.
Helyer, R., 2015. The work-based learning student handbook. Palgrave Macmillan.
Kolb, D.A., 2014. Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development.
FT press.
Savery, J.R., 2015. Overview of problem-based learning: Definitions and distinctions. Essential
readings in problem-based learning: Exploring and extending the legacy of Howard S.
Barrows, 9, pp.5-15.
Wenger-Trayner, E., Fenton-O'Creevy, M., Hutchinson, S., Kubiak, C. and Wenger-Trayner, B.
eds., 2014. Learning in landscapes of practice: Boundaries, identity, and knowledgeability in
practice-based learning. Routledge.
Online references
Tesco career, 2018 [Online][Accessed through]<https://www.tesco-careers.com/>[Accessed on,
19th June 2018]
Tesco Plc., 2018[Online][Accessed through]<https://www.tescoplc.com/ >[accessed on, 19th
June 2018]