My journey to TBL

At the end of 2025, I was offered the fantastic opportunity to complete a work placement with TBL as part of my English Language and Literature degree at Lancaster University.

As someone with no specific career path in mind, rapidly approaching my final year as a student, this could not have been more helpful or come at a better time.

Having previously considered taking a placement year but ultimately deciding that the timescale of it would not be a good fit for me, the discovery that I could participate in a placement for a module that slotted in with my second-year studies was very compelling. After reading the descriptions of the various placement opportunities on offer, it quickly became apparent that this role at TBL stood out to me the most. It not only aligned well with my interests but was also very flexible, allowing me to explore a variety of different responsibilities within an organisation to see where my talents and interests lie.

Most of all, I was excited to take a break from academic studies and gain some real-life practical experience to take with me into the future, whilst hopefully in the process developing a better idea of what sort of role I would like to strive towards moving forward.

My placement experience and the TBL team

As anyone is when starting a new job, I was pretty apprehensive. I had only ever worked previously as a shop assistant, and this environment and industry was completely new to me.

However, as soon as I met the team at TBL, any feelings of being a fish out of water quickly dissipated. They were welcoming and supportive from the get-go, going to lengths to ensure I was comfortable, and even planning a group pizza lunch on my first day as a way for me to get to know everyone in a more informal setting. During the placement, members of the team regularly checked in on me to ensure I was happy and confident with the work I was getting on with, and I was generously offered support throughout the entire experience. I also got to complete this placement alongside fellow English student Chahak, who was a great friend and source of support from beginning to end of the placement.

Prior to my start at TBL, I was asked if there were any specific tasks or responsibilities that I was interested in exploring, and I explained that I mainly just wanted to try out a variety. This was certainly taken on board as I was offered several different tasks that varied in skillsets, centred around Strategies and Communication. I got to apply my English skills by writing for a TBL report, improve my research and analysis skills by reviewing the websites and reports of other companies, and was introduced to the world of marketing and communications by editing CRM email drafts. Through these experiences I gained a thorough understanding of how TBL operates, learned a great amount about sustainability and company initiatives, and was able to observe in myself which areas I most enjoyed and succeeded in.

Big thanks go out to Mike (Sustainability Report Writer) for guiding me through the writing tasks and continually providing me with helpful feedback, Callum (Sustainability Engagement Manager) for explaining and supporting me with the analysis task, Liza (Head of Strategies & Communications) for structuring my workload and frequently checking in on me, and Rachael (HR, Finance & Sustainability Manager) for organising and preparing me for my placement. And thank you to the team as a whole, for providing me with a reference point of what a positive and healthy work environment looks like – life after graduation certainly seems less daunting now.

Overall reflections and advice

On the whole this placement was a really great experience, and my goal to understand more about myself regarding potential career paths was definitely fulfilled. Whilst I did face challenges in navigating an unfamiliar workplace with little industry knowledge, I overcame these with the help of the people around me and my own determination.

If I were to offer any advice to students like me who are unsure about their future, I would say: grab any opportunity like this that comes your way and run with it! Do not worry about it ‘straying too far’ from your degree, and don’t be scared to put yourself in an unfamiliar environment. Try new things and gain new