Access to Homes Student Placement

Callum Bailey

Geography

Placement (10 Months+)

St Leger Homes

What made you apply to St Leger Homes of Doncaster?

From researching the company when the placement opportunities were posted online, I found out that St Leger Homes is a highly established and award winning social housing organisation. The company offers good employee benefits, salary and holiday allowance which are all great pull factors for any University student looking for a placement/internship. The placement opportunities on offer seemed really interesting to me and provided the chance to gain experience in the public sector.

Describe a normal day in the office.

That’s just it. There was never a ‘normal day’ in the office which meant that every day on placement was exciting and interesting. Day-to-day duties and responsibilities included: supporting a range of teams across the Access to Homes department in relation to general day-to-day service delivery; undertaking statistical and analytical work; visiting tenants in their homes and also conducting assessments as required at the council offices. On top of this, I was involved in a number of important projects throughout my placement such as: the annual rough sleeper count, the severe weather emergency protocol over the winter period and a 6-month review of Doncaster Council’s housing allocations policy.

What did you enjoy most about your placement/internship?

Overall, my placement was a very positive, enriching and eye opening experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the projects that I worked on which helped improve the lives of our customers. The placement offered a great work-life balance and there was lots of support from within the organisation to mould the placement around what I wanted to learn and achieve. It was great to be part of a close-knit team and to feel valued. The placement far exceeded my expectations and I would happily go back to work for St Leger Homes after finishing my degree.

What would you say to someone who is considering applying to St Leger Homes?

I would tell them to go for it. St Leger Homes is a fantastic company and the work you will do is both eye opening and very rewarding. All the staff I engaged with whilst on placement were extremely welcoming and supportive, creating a real sense of community within the company. St Leger Homes offers a great range of employee benefits, and has a good training scheme that is beneficial not only for the job but also for life in general.

What was the application process like?

The application process consisted of an online application form followed by an interview. The process was professional throughout and provided the opportunity to sell yourself and highlight your skills and experience. It did not matter that I had limited experience within the housing industry before this placement as the job criteria was simple and I was able to draw on experience from previous jobs, volunteering etc. that I had done.

What advice would you give to someone planning to undertake a placement/internship?

Make good use of any careers services offered by your University and try to attend company events and career fairs where possible during your 2nd year in order to network with industry professionals. Send prospective applications to companies you are interested in as the majority of placements/internships are not advertised online. Ensure that you research the company beforehand and tailor your application as this will set you apart from students applying to all placements/internships they find.