Jamie, Jakub, and Léa share their experiences as 2023 Scholars in Boston with Stop & Shop, a business who have been operating for more than 100 years and who proudly have 400 stores across New York, New Jersey and New England. Stop & Shop employs 60,000 associates with Jamie, Jakub, and Léa joining their Marketing, Operations and Merchandising respectively.
Hey! We (Jamie, Jakub, and Léa) are all interning at Stop & Shop HQ just outside Boston this summer and want to share a bit about our experiences so far. It’s only been two and a half weeks, but we have been lucky to have been embraced by each of our departments. The people here really are the kindest, most welcoming that we could have wished for!
Jamie: I have been interning in the marketing department at Stop & Shop and each day has been filled with excitement. It was busy from the get-go, with a local event to attend on day one. The rest of the week I got to meet the teams in each channel of marketing as well as attend department meetings, learning more about marketing strategy and how everyone contributes to organisational goals. The company places a large focus on charitable giving and nurturing its community, so it was great to meet various charity/organisation/school representatives and see how Stop & Shop works to support them. Week two involved a trip to NYC! Here, I visited some stores which were recently refurbished to enhance the customer experience and cater to local communities by offering bespoke cultural selections. I also got to attend an LGBTQ+ garden party where the company was a vendor partner in collaboration with San Pellegrino. So far, the experience has benefitted me both professionally and personally – encouraging confidence in communication whilst offering an immersive experience. It has also been very rewarding to be a part of giving back and supporting the community at Pride events and the opening of school food pantries. I can’t believe I’ve been here two weeks and already visited 4 states!!
Jakub: Two weeks ago I touched down in Boston to begin my internship in the operations team at Stop & Shop. My first day was amazing, I was greeted by everyone (also given some nice merch) and enjoyed getting to know everyone over lunch. The people at Stop & Shop have made this experience significantly more enjoyable. Having never worked in this sector, I was intrigued about the work I would be doing. The work I’ve been immersed into is challenging and multifaceted which means I’m excited to go to work. Understanding the effort and intricate planning that goes into running our supermarkets has been rewarding. Furthermore, I have been a part of projects and have been able to travel to stores and see in practice what I have been seeing in the office. I have become passionate about the work I’m doing at Stop & Shop and look forward to the work that is yet to come.
Léa: I have been interning in the merchandising team at Stop & Shop, which consists in analysing sales, buying the product, negotiating with merchants, identifying pricing opportunities, and more. The team has been very welcoming and understanding of my lack of experience in this field, but after extensive and thorough training, let’s just say I don’t think I will ever be able to do my groceries without thinking of what goes on in the background! It’s an extensive field filled with different responsibilities which I had the privilege of discovering day by day. I received invaluable training in software such as Power BI and IRI which will be very useful for me in the future. During my first week, I got to meet different people who I shadowed to discover their roles and responsibilities, as well as make the most of the free food, as we do a lot of testing before it goes on the shelves. If you are thinking of applying, don’t hesitate to apply even if it is not exactly what your degree is in; you will grow so much personally and professionally no matter where you end up. Also, business casual outfits are fun to put together!
Our experience as Saltire Scholars has been one of the best ever! It’s been great to experience a new culture and all of the professional development that comes with an internship with other talented peers. We all feel like we have made friends for life through this experience and can’t wait to see what the rest of summer has in store!
