Tesco Pre-Reg

[VChan]

I've just been offered a Tesco pre-reg place for next year, but I'm not sure what their training is like? Boots have also given me an offer...but I've heard that they work you really hard! Plus, Tesco is offering me more money and less hours - but I don't want to compromise on my training :S

[Nik]

I've just been offered a Tesco pre-reg place for next year, but I'm not sure what their training is like?

Shouldn't this have been something you asked them about at the interview ?

[VChan]

It's a fair enough question, but my interviewer was hardly going to say 'oh, actually we're a bit crap...you're better off with Boots' is she? I just wanted to know if anyone had any first hand experience with the company... or knew of anybody who'd been through their pre-reg programme.

[Asterix]

Boots offer 19k but for me they are crap. Making you sell nappies during pre-reg is hardly training.

[Nik]

What i meant was at the interview you could have asked them at least to describe what a typical Tesco pre-reg does, how the year is structured, etc just to get a basic understanding and then fished around for some opinions from former tesco pre-regs.

[VChan]

Well obviously I know what the pre-reg programme entails - that much they tell you! It's just finding out whether they actually stick to their word and train you properly...or whether they're still newbies at the whole thing.

For example, just finished a Boots Summer Placement where I was meant to be doing 5 CPDs a week, two projects, and a clinical workbook. Haven't done half of that, because my tutor wasn't so bothered about it - I'm not complaining, because obviously it made my life a lot easier, and he still gave me an awesome review, hence the pre-reg offer. But according to Boots...I'm meant to have done a LOT more.

I'm just trying to figure out whether Tesco actually do what they say on the tin. So rather than telling me what I should and shouldn't have asked at the interview, maybe you could answer my question?

[DavidS]

Boots offer 19k but for me they are crap. Making you sell nappies during pre-reg is hardly training.

If they are crap then having nappies about is probably a good idea.

I did my pre-reg with Boots. Nappies, STs etc were all kept on a side of the store that I was allocated to spend 6 weeks on. I spent four of those weeks in the stockroom (they wouldn't let me actually SELL sts in case I embarassed the customers). It was good fun actually. There was absolutely no order in there. You took in your list, took your shoes off, and literally climbed over the mountains of stock, throwing the boxes you needed through the doors at the far end for later collection.

I sometimes wonder whether they would have been able to find me if I hadn't returned, breathless and smelling of Lilia-Whites, hours later.

Actually, the pre-reg training I had with Boots was excellent. I don't know what its like now, but it taught me about ALL the stock, and how to sell it, and how to deal with customers, and six months in the dispensary was enough for me to polish up on that side. It was great training to manage a business. Of course, it taught me absolutely nothing about buying stock, which you will need to know if you intend getting your own place, but that's not so hard (or as enjoyable) as selling it.