Tell us about yourself, where you’re from, what you studied in college?

“My name is Aoibheann Maddy and I’m 23 years old. I’m one of 10 graduates from Lidl’s 2018/2019 graduate programme and I am currently in the HR stream. Last November I graduated from DIT with a 2.1 Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Human Resource Management.”

How did you find out about the IMI graduate programme?

“When looking at what I wanted to do after college, I decided to go to the RDS GradIreland fair to try find out more information from different companies. I started talking to one of the graduates who was currently on the Lidl graduate programme in the HR stream and from that moment I was sold!

“I was always looking for a company who have excellent training and development whilst, at the same time, giving their graduates real responsibility from the get-go. From my conversation at the Lidl stand, it was clear that they were going to offer exactly that.”

What is the grad programme?

“Our graduate programme is a mix of operational and departmental training, which has given me the tools to gain a full understanding of all the business areas in Lidl. Looking back over my time on the programme, I can clearly see why the training is such an essential aspect of understanding Lidl and its processes. As a HR graduate, I really feel I benefitted from experiencing the type of environment our store colleagues work in and the nature of the work in store. While working in store, I really wanted to look at it from a HR perspective. I have been fortunate to have been given the opportunity to work in a number of stores and in doing so I decided to hone in on the level of training that’s on offer for employees, particularly focusing on topics such as engagement and retention levels.”

What do you plan to work as after and why?

“At the moment I’m very lucky to have been given an opportunity to work within the recruitment and retention team in our head office. I’m thoroughly enjoying being part of the team and especially interested in the employer brand projects I’m working on. The fast-paced nature of Lidl has taught me to be as adaptable as possible for the future. The possibilities are endless within this company.”

Advice to graduates applying for your programme this year?

“Do your research. I know it sounds simple but you would be surprised with how many people apply for things that they don’t know much about. A good tip from my side is to check out our Lidl social media and our current events. Talk to our graduates, watch our graduate video and really have a think about if you are a good fit for the company and if the company is the right fit for you.”