Over the last week we have been thrown into the deep end of Puddle Duck life doing our work experience. In this blog we will describe what we did and how it benefited us in an number of ways. We have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the different aspects of the business and what it is that makes Puddle Ducks tick.
Within our first day we brought Puddle to life to help promote the wonderful classes that are on offer. We waddled around Macclesfield dressed as the mascot whilst being surrounded by eager kids wanting a cuddle or high-five. This enabled us to understand customers better and what's important to them when they're considering activities for their children.
Another key moment of our week was when we got the opportunity to help in classes. Following an afternoon of studying lesson plans and getting catchy songs stuck in our heads, we were prepared to enter the pool and have fun! When the day arrived we were at the pool bright and early helping to set up the equipment and get everything ready. We extremely enjoyed helping to teach the children and participating in the activities with our own (pretend) child- Evangeline. This helped us understand the concepts of the lessons and how much they help the young children. Luisa (the teacher) also showed us the variety of exercises the customers enjoy and how they can be varied to suit the children whilst still making them fun for the parents as well.
On other days we spent time exploring and learning about the different parts of the business including retail, finance and marketing. This range of mini workshops widened our overall knowledge of the systems and helped us understand about different programs that may help us in the future.
We also helped about the office putting shop orders together and making informative and decorative boards.
Overall it has been a busy yet highly valuable and exciting week, teaching us skills that will influence and benefit us in years to come. We have seen how the lessons benefit the families bringing them closer and having fun, as well as seeing the work that needs to be done to run a successful business.
Thank you Puddle Ducks, we have had a splashing time!
Cat & Ella x