Change Management Coordinator Review

I work in Portsmouth where there are about 60 interns, so the environment is very sociable! I have also been very lucky with my work team, as they are almost always in the office, they have been friendly and welcoming, and we have had some good nights out! IBM has also given me the opportunity to take part in volunteering outside of my job, for example I helped to run an assessment centre, which will help with my CV.

I always feel valued by my colleagues, they are always happy to help me with whatever issues I am having. They also trust me to run important reports/ meetings. I have been given a lot of responsibility within my role, which is important in preparing me for my future career. They also recognise that I have obligations to do 'giveback' (volunteering within the company), allowing me to occasionally spend time outside of the office.

I have been given a lot of support. Within IBM, we have a task manager and an EPM (Early Professional's Manager), who helps us outside of our daily job role. The EPM conducts regular reviews (3, 6 and 12 months), giving us the opportunity to gather feedback from our task manager and other colleagues. We set ourselves goals, and then reflect on them with our EPMs. They also help us network, by giving us contacts of those we can potentially shadow.

Some days I am not so busy, and have the time to look into giveback/ other research and courses provided by IBM. Some days I am quite busy, usually when i'm creating customer reports. It all depends on what occurs on a particular day (I do not conduct the same work everyday). Luckily, my hours are generally consistent (9am-5pm).

I was given a lot of responsibility, due to the circumstances I ended up in. A few months into the job, my colleague left, so I took on his work, involving running the customer meetings, etc. I trained a graduate to work with me, who continued on his rotation, and then I trained another graduate and a full time staff member simultaneously. I have enjoyed having a great deal of responsibility.

I am yet to start final year, but I assume my knowledge gained over this year will help me a great deal! IBM makes sure that its employees have access to observe the company's latest info, such as its changing business strategy etc. The skills I have gained, such as confidence, will also aid me in later life. It has been a great opportunity to observe my colleagues and see how they have got to their positions within the company.

I was lucky with my work team, as we are all present in the office (compared to other teams who often work at home). My office is always chatty, and my colleagues are relaxed and approachable- for example we have casual Friday, and working for a big account means that there is often cake going! I also enjoy nights out with my team, they are great for building relationships.

My internship in general has been set up well, as we are always given opportunities to increase our knowledge/ skill set. As previously mentioned, we can access online courses to increase our company knowledge. We also have access to a giveback database where we can volunteer within, and outside, of the company. I have had the chance to attend careers fairs, assessment centres, etc.

Training is usually on ourselves, so the company offer us the opportunities, and then we can chose to take them or not. We may not get reimbursed for certain things, but we definitely get reimbursed for compulsory intern training- which so far has been very useful! We have had sessions about presenting ourselves and how to communicate effectively etc, and will soon be having career sessions.

IBM appears to be difficult to get into as a graduate, so I do not expect anything! I will however be applying back here for the graduate scheme. I understand that you get good opportunities within the grad scheme, with IBM providing extensive training. There is also a wide choice of which job roles, and a lot of scope for developing your future career and your own skill set.

I am happy that I came to Portsmouth, despite that I originally applied to Southbank. Portsmouth has 60 interns, and has a great social scene. The interns usually meet up for lunch, and then often go out socially. I also go out with my colleagues around once a month, and working on a large account means that there are plenty of opportunities to network. It also helps to network with the other interns, as we have a wide variation of roles, and its always useful to find out more about others roles.

Going to Oxford Brookes uni, I am used to paying expensive rent! So for this reason, I find the cost of living here quite reasonable. I currently share a house in Southsea with other interns, and I can't fault it! Socialising costs are standard, not cheap, but often cheaper than what I am used to. Travel around the city is pretty cheap, the trains are good and we have cheap taxis (Aquacars and Uber).

There are many pubs a short walking distance from where I live, and there are quite a few clubs in Portsmouth, so I would say that the nightlife is pretty good. Southsea is especially great in the summer, with lots of interesting shops and bars. We also have the bandstand by the beach, and I loved going to the Victorious festival!

There were many opportunities to get involved outside of work. As previously mentioned, we have a giveback database to aid with this- for example, in the summer I helped a colleague in running a triathlon. I also helped out in an opportunities fair (for young teenagers), which was on a Saturday. I enjoy the chance to help out outside of work.