Supply Chain Improvement Analyst Review

Everyone was very nice, and made me feel welcome. The team went to the effort of explaining tasks to me in the beginning, as well as the department's place within the whole company. The work became interesting, especially once I got into my project and had gained more of an understanding of my role.

I felt as respected as any other member of the team, and welcomed in by all. If I did work for someone, they always thanked me for it, and usually gave me feedback on where to improve. I had regular meetings with my manager, and always knew the use of the work I was doing - which project or goal it was contributing towards.

I had weekly meetings with my manager, and also sat very near her, so I could ask any questions very easily. Although not all of my work was for my manager directly, she ensured that, if I was working for someone else, they were supporting me. Any problems I had were easy to feed back to her in our weekly meetings. I also had the support of one of the graduates in the office, and met with her quite often too, to feed back how everything was going.

Towards the beginning of the internship, I was often bored, or did not have enough to do. However, I think this was a result of not yet fully understanding my role, so there was less I could possibly do. Towards the middle of my time, I was given a second project to work on alongside my first, and found each day more interesting and busier. There were a few moments where I felt rushed off my feet, but, again, to be expected, and this did not happen too often.

I was expected to manage my time and my work, and meet my deadlines. I was responsible for my own success, but not ultimately for other people's. I think this was good, as it was not overly stressful, yet I still needed to perform well. There was always the constant thought of needing to get my projects complete before the end of the twelve weeks.

I would say the most invaluable thing I got out of the placement was the experience of work, time management, and the general runnings of an office. As a student, who had never worked in this environment before, I did not know what to expect, and this has helped me feel more prepared for the future. I learnt skills such as project management, as well as gaining confidence in holding meetings involving senior members of staff.

Where I sat it was quite quiet, but people did talk sometimes and were always willing to answer questions. Upstairs I think was more chatty, as there were several graduates there who were all friends. However, it was a nice mix overall, and I felt I knew the majority of the office by the end of my time. The whole office cascades were also a great time to all feel part of a team, aiming towards a joint goal.

I was supposed to have a 'buddy', a graduate who would be there for me, but on arriving this scheme had not been set up. However, a kind graduate on the upper floor took it upon herself to meet with me and fill this role. I was also fortunate on arriving to have a project waiting for me, not everyone did. However, I think it would have been nice to have a few more tasks, however mundane, to complete in the first weeks, before my project work really took off.

There was an endless supply of personal development training available on Catalyst, which I used to occupy myself with in my first few, quieter weeks. There was also opportunities for plant tours, seeing prototypes, as well as visiting other offices - all of which were extremely interesting, and put the work we were doing into context. It was great to see the end, physical result.

I was told on leaving the company that all undergraduates who had gained their manager's recommendation for hiring (I was one of these), would be contacted in October with an offer of a job. I have not yet heard from JLR, but neither have I heard of anyone who has.

Yes. ~150 undergraduates all stayed in Coventry Uni halls, living in flats together, and socialising. We all made friends and went out together, be it for a night out, or just to the pub. One weekend, a group of us went paintballing - another weekend I just shopped with some friends. The company encouraged us all to mix too, with some 'mixers' in the common room.

Cheaper than my home in Brighton, but much more expensive than my uni, in Durham.

There was one club we all went to, Kasbah, and there were others around, but we didn't go to them. There were several weekly pub quizzes, and the pubs stayed open until around three anyway, so the option was there, although with work the next day, that didn't really appeal to me.

The Graduate forum (group of graduates) set up taster sessions for several local sports clubs for the undergraduates to try out. These included Rounders, Netball, Ultimate Frisbee, and Yoga. These were great fun, even as one offs, and myself and several others continued going to the Frisbee club, which was an opportunity to meet others outside of Jaguar Land Rover - from college students to adults in work.