Finley Hay

Alongside my university studies, I’ve been working alongside qualified trading standards officers as well as enforcement officers and ex-police officers. It’s given me proper hands-on experience with investigations and enforcement, especially around age-restricted products like tobacco and vapes.

• I’ve carried out test purchases to help identify shops selling illegal or mislabelled goods
• Helped prepare enforcement kits and made sure evidence was recorded and stored properly
• Written up witness statements to support Trading Standards officers with their cases
• Supported with the organisation of enforcement work, including planning and paperwork
• Also helped manage the company’s financial records for audits and invoicing

This role has really helped me understand how Trading Standards investigations work in practice, and it’s made me even more motivated to pursue it as a career.

As part of my final year at university, I completed an internship with Newport’s Trading Standards team, which gave me a real insight into how enforcement and compliance work is carried out in local government. I had the chance to shadow officers across different departments and take part in live investigations.

• Helped carry out inspections in businesses across sectors like food, retail, and manufacturing
• Took part in test purchasing operations to check for underage and illegal sales of tobacco and vapes
• Assisted in gathering and recording evidence for cases involving counterfeit goods and doorstep crime
• Got involved in developing a new business support service to help local companies understand and meet trading regulations

It was a really valuable experience that confirmed how much I enjoy this type of work and that I want to pursue a career in Trading Standards.

Working at Morrisons gave me a solid grounding in customer service and dealing with all sorts of people. I worked across lots of departments, such as checkouts, produce, café, and others. I had to be switched on, reliable, and able to handle different situations calmly.

• Handled customer issues like refunds and complaints, and helped train new staff
• Made sure food safety and hygiene procedures were followed every day
• Supported seasonal stock changes and kept displays compliant with store standards
• Learned how to stay calm under pressure and stick to rules and processes

The role also made me more aware of how Trading Standards plays a part in retail, especially around product labelling, age-restricted sales, and customer rights. It gave me a good starting point for understanding what fair and legal trading looks like from the shop floor.

I worked as a teaching assistant in a Year One class but also supported across different year groups when needed. It helped me build patience, confidence, and the ability to communicate clearly with children, parents, and staff.

• Helped manage classroom behaviour and supported pupils with tasks and learning
• Worked closely with teachers to deliver planned lessons
• Communicated with parents and carers when needed
• Followed safeguarding and school policies at all times

This role taught me how to stay calm, follow procedures, and build trust with different people. All these skills are useful for enforcement and public-facing roles like trading standards.

As part of the national Test and Trace effort, I worked as a call handler, speaking to members of the public about their test results and next steps. It was a fast-paced role where accuracy and professionalism were really important.

• Delivered sensitive information in a clear and reassuring way
• Recorded personal and medical data while following strict confidentiality rules
• Escalated any concerns to managers or public health teams
• Followed scripts and national guidelines to make sure advice was consistent

The role helped me understand how to deal with the public on serious issues while staying calm, respectful, and accurate.

My first job was at Vue, where I worked in a busy customer-facing role at the cinema. It taught me the basics of customer service, dealing with queries, and managing responsibilities on shift.

• Sold tickets, served food and drinks, and cleaned screens between films
• Dealt with customer complaints and resolved problems on the spot
• Followed health and safety procedures and cash-handling policies
• Worked during busy periods like holidays and new film releases

It gave me a solid foundation in customer service, timekeeping, and following set procedures all of which I’ve built on in later roles and which are important for a job in Trading Standards.