Security Analyst

Aasiyah Sidat

Computer Science and IT

Placement (10 Months+)

Network Rail

What was the interview process like?

Before my face-to-face interview, I completed a video interview which was a new experience for me but definitely a positive one because you don’t have to worry about the interviewers watching you when you answer. The actual interview took place at Westwood which is Network Rail’s training facility. The interview was very smooth with the interviewers being very encouraging and not intimidating at all.

How much responsibility do you have?

I would say I have quite a lot of responsibility and the level of responsibility grows as you progress during the year. The goal as a placement student is to go from being a dependent learner to an independent learner. I have found that if you don’t understand something you ask plenty of questions and no one judges you for that.

What do you most enjoy about your role?

I love the fact that I am working in a role I can see myself doing in the future. In my role I also have the flexibility to shadow and learn about other parts of the business and how they work. I think this is really important because it can help you figure out what you like but also what you don’t.

What activities are there outside of work?

We do lots of extra-curricular activities to help us understand how the railway works. In November, we visited the Railway Transport Museum in York where we had a look at the history of the railway which was very interesting.

How promising are the graduate prospects?

The graduate programme looks brilliant and allows you to rotate in different areas of the business which sounds very exciting. There is a possibility that you are offered a place on the graduate scheme once you complete your placement so fingers crossed.