Competition Data Coordinator Review

I spent 13 months working at Avis Budget Group and I really enjoyed my placement. If I could go back in time, I'll do it all over again as I was given a lot more responsibility than I expected and had a very varied role, meaning no two days were ever the same.

I worked within a close team of around eight people and in a wider department of around 50 people. I worked with almost everyone in my department every day and most definitely felt valued because without me they would not have been able to do their jobs effectively and efficiently.

There was an open door policy at Avis Budget group where you are always welcome to speak to your team members and managers should you wish. During my time, I was offered a lot of support and guidance, which made me feel very welcome and part of the team.

The company is in the travel industry, meaning there are huge peaks in demand for the services. The peaks are in the summer, around Christmas time or any events which may be happening in the countries, such as the Rugby world cup in England. This means a couple of months leading to the events, I was always very busy. However, this calmed down a little once the season is over.

I was given a lot of responsibility while working for the company. I was also the sole contact between the company and our third party data supplier which meant I had to resolve any issues and ensure any developments we need were developed. I was also tasked with training our colleagues around the world on the tools and systems we use.

I gained a lot of core skills which will be useful in a future workplace such as communication and teamworking. I was also sent on training sessions for things like time management which is always useful. I have now obtained a lot of experience in using key microsoft office software, such as excel which I was using daily and will definitely be useful on my degree and beyond.

There was generally a calm and friendly atmosphere in the office where everyone was easily approachable. You're also sat closely within your team and the people you work with, which helps in making good friends. It's also quite a relaxed office where we have "dress down Fridays", where you come into the office slightly more casual.

It was very organised. Even before I started, I had been sent the email addresses of other placement students, where we all got in contact and created a facebook group which we all joined. Then once I started, I had weekly one to ones with my manager for the first 3 months, and then every couple of weeks afterwards where we discussed my progress or any issues I had. It was well structured placement as it has been running for many years beforehand.

I went on a couple of training sessions organised by the company, but I feel I could have been on a few more over the course of the year. I also feel that maybe I could have gone on training sessions which were more about my personal development, than for the tools and systems needed on the job.

I never say never. I loved working for Avis Budget Group and you get some really amazing employee benefits due to the huge amount of partners the company works with. However, I don't really know what I want to do yet after graduation and feel like I want to try out different things, before deciding on an ideal career path.

Other than the organised work events, there wasn't much of a social scene with my fellow placement students/colleagues. This is because everyone lived in different areas and was difficult to organise something in a neutral location when everyone was free. However, we regularly ate lunch together and met up to do activities during lunch time.

I would estimate the cost of living in Berkshire is around average for this side of England. There are a few big supermarkets around and the high street has most of the regular shops you would expect. In general, it's not too expensive and things seem to be reasonably priced.

There wasn't much of a night-life. Other than a few pubs and a club/bar, there isn't really much to do in Bracknell. If you wanted a night out, you had to get the train to Reading, which is about 25 minutes away. But the last train back is around 12 in the morning, which made staying out late difficult.

There were quite a few opportunities, where I got to work in the rental station during the busy period in December, I got to model the new uniforms, with the media being displayed all across the Europe, Middle East and Africa. I was also a regular at the Friday football sessions we have during our lunchtime at the local sort centre. There is also a sports and social committee which organise events and activities for the employees.