Risk Security and Compliance Review

I have enjoyed my placement and I am glad I have applied to IBM. I have learned many valuable skills for life.

The vast majority of staff at IBM are very friendly and approachable. You are part of the team and that is how you are treated - I have never felt like 'just an intern'. All the work I have done was valuable to the overall success of the team I work within - never carried out a 'pointless' task.

I have received a very good level of support from my manager and all team members throughout my placement. Although my task manager was based in an office 160 miles away from me, he still ensured I received the guidance I needed to help me progress and get as much as possible out of my placement, as well as actively seeking opportunities for me to learn and find out more about the area of business.

There were times, mainly at the start of my placement during which I was 'bored', however that was due to my team being involved in an audit when I started, which they were unaware of when I was hired. Once all audit related work settled, I was given a good amount of work to do and the work load increased as I got comfortable with my tasks.

I feel I was given a good level of responsibility. Being part of quite a technical department, I did not always have all the knowledge to make all decisions but I feel that as time passed I was given more and more responsible tasks, for example being involved in audit work in the second half of my placement, which often fed into work provided to external auditors, which meant I was trusted to do the work and do it correctly.

I have learned a lot about being organised while doing work and manage my time effectively, which is transferable to any industry, as well as further studies.

At my location, there was a good community of interns and apprentices, therefore we had a good work and social life balance as we were all of a similar age. In general, the atmosphere was quite relaxed. Permanent staff were also very supportive and there was no evident divide between students and permanent staff. The atmopshere of 'we are working towards a joint goal' was overpowering and I did not feel like there was a hierarchy element into relationships with other people.

Due to the busy work life that the majority of intern task managers have, there were times of miscommunication. For example, you would receive communication about being involved in a certain activity before you were spoken to about it. However, it is the nature of the business and it is something to get used to - you can not always plan ahead and some things happen 'last minute'.

There was not much training other than the two day induction at the beginning of the placement. The majority of my personal development was based around on the job training, where I was given simple tasks at the beginning and as I improved, I was given more difficult and responsible task. It was very much self driven, as it depended on me networking with various people at work to find out what I need to learn. Outside of the every day role, there was an opportunity to do 'Pick 'n' Mix' - training sessions where you chose an area of interest, for example presentation, communication skills etc.

The company provides many opportunities for the future, as being such a large business there are various areas to get involved in and progress to in the future. Although it is a technology firm and I do not come from a technical background, I feel like I can have a future within the company as it appreciates people with different skill sets and background.

As there were quite a large number of placement students at the location I was based in, we were able to plan quite a few social events. Having spoken to various people on my team, they do ensure that interns are hired into locations where there is a large number of placement students to ensure they are comfortable within the location in terms of making friends and the general atmosphere.

I have found living costs relatively cheap in the area I was based in, however although not pricey, housing was hard to find. Furthermore, it was a commute into work and owning a car has definitely helped. As it is a university town, socialising in the area was not a problem as there were quite a few bars and clubs, as well as many restaurants and leisure centres and tourist attractions; something to suit all tastes.

There are a number of clubs in the nearby town, therefore there was plenty of choice.

There were various activities to take part in, however there was more to do during the summer.