MY WORK EXPERIENCE

I had chosen to work at Drumbank Music Guitar Centre, Bristol for my week of work experience - from the 14th to the 18th of June, 2004. I had chosen to work here, because I have an interest in Music anyway, and thought I would enjoy the atmosphere.

DAY 1: MONDAY: As my work experience was based in Bristol, I couldn't reach work from my home. So I decided to live with a friend who lived in the city for the Work Experience week. I hadn't been told what time I needed to arrive at the store, and was unsure how long it would take me to get to the shop via Bristol's buses. So I left early at 8, estimating I would get there at about 9. As it turned out, I found my way to the shop at 8:30 and had to wait two hours before it opened. I met the staff and they all seemed friendly and very laid back, somewhat surprised that I had been waiting so long.

DAY 2: TUESDAY: Reassured that I would know longer have to wake up too early, I slept well through the morning. There was not much to be done today, so to break the monotony I was assigned to tuning and polishing every guitar in the store. That's roughly 150 guitars! Despite having to wake up later than I was used to on a working day, the pay-back is having to stay until 5. Evidently, I was still very new to a working environment.

DAY 3: WEDNESDAY: The monthly stock-take began today. A mammoth task of taking down information on every product in the store, books, guitars, pedals, strings, plectrums, amplifiers, basses, tapes, videos...etc. Luckily, the staff were daunted with this as much as I was, so I wasn't alone. Apart from checking the amount and cost of all of these shop items, there wasn't really anything too taxing about the shop-work. It being Summer, there wasn't any real business inside the Guitar Centre, so when enough 'Stock-taking' was done for the day, I could play guitar.

DAY 4: THURSDAY: The seemingly gigantic stock-take continued today, and it was obviously bringing the staff down slightly. I helped out by cleaning and vacuuming the whole place, including the other two storeys, all practice and storage rooms. This was easily the hardest day of work, because when I completed this task, I had to count up almost 1000 guitar leads!

DAY 5: FRIDAY: Today went down easier than the previous few. I had had my fair share of 'stock-taking', so I was allowed to sit around and try out all the instruments and amplifiers. It was far more relaxed today, as the stock-take had nearly finished and we were in the final stages. I thanked the staff for letting me carry out my work experience there, and a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting week 'behind-the-scenes' of the Music Store.