Engagement Services Strategy & Portfolio Management Support Analyst Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time at IBM. As with any job there are adhoc tasks which aren't exciting, however I got a lot of interaction with different areas of the business and attended several face to face meetings with customers and business partners. I felt overall the placement benefited me hugely and I would like to rejoin the company as a graduate in the future.

My manager got me involved with as much as possible, and as such as I was given real responsibility, resulting in my manager and colleagues relying on me for a high standard of work. When meeting with people in different areas of the business, I was treated as a real colleague rather than an intern who was just there to sit and listen.

As part of your placement at IBM you will have both a Task Manager and an Early Professional Manager (EPM). The EPM was there if you needed any support or if you had any issues that you felt you couldn't go to your Task Manager about. However saying that, my task manager was also really approachable and wanted me to make the most of my placement year, he was a great mentor figure and I learned a lot from him.

Some days/periods were busier than others. However in general there was always work to be done, and likewise you're expected to actively look for work and get involved in activities outside of your role, such as giveback. There is also a huge database of educational material that we were encouraged to use.

I was given responsibility from day 1, hosting calls with global managers, presenting to senior leadership teams and meeting with clients and business partners. After the first few months of getting to grips with my 'core tasks' I was then given a lot more work which my manager would expect me to complete to a high standard.

I have no doubt that the experience I have gained through the placement scheme will make me more focused during my final year of university. Likewise I believe it will help me enormously with finding a job after university and progressing within that company.

I was based in the Warwick Office, with around 30 other placement students. The office itself isn't as lively as Southbank, and many of my colleagues were based in different locations. (which is part of the IBM culture). However I often sat amongst other interns which created a relaxed (yet professional) environment.

The placement scheme is very well set up. To begin with there is a 2 day induction where you get to meet everyone and learn about the organisation, health and safety etc. From then on you have a placement journal which you have to keep updated throughout the year with your objectives and achievements etc. There was also a 3 month presentation, a 6 month review and a 12 month review to monitor your progress and gain feedback from your colleagues.

There is a vast amount of educational material available to you, however you aren't really encouraged to use it, this is something you have to do off of your own back to enhance your placement experience. My manager invested a lot of time giving me feedback and encouraging me, as well as pushing me out of my comfort zone to make sure I got the most out of the placement. However this could vary from manager to manager.

After my year with IBM I am certain that I want to return to the company as part of the Graduate scheme. I have had a lot of interaction with some of the graduates and have seen first hand the amount of experience and responsibility they are given. The graduate scheme is well spoken of as is IBM.

As previously mentioned, there are 30 interns within Warwick, and we often organized events outside of work such as football, badminton, games nights and nights out. We also had a Christmas part which was subsidized by IBM. It felt more like a group of friends rather than colleagues, and I'm sure many of us will stay in touch. If ever I was in London for an event or meeting with my colleagues within the business unit I worked in, we would go out for a meal or drinks after which meant I got to know them at a more personal level.

Although working in Warwick, I lived in Leamington Spa, it is a great location in terms of living costs. I house shared with 5 other people on placement, we paid low rent and the bars/clubs in the town were very affordable. I had the option to be based in Warwick or London, however I chose Warwick as it meant I was able to save a significant amount due to the low living cost.

The majority of Uni of Warwick students lived in Leamington Spa, and as a result there are several clubs and many bars/restaurants within the town. We enjoyed many nights out and it was always busy. Warwick is also a good location, with only a short train journey to Birmingham and Coventry, and just over an hour to get to London.

In terms of outside my day to day role, interns are encouraged to take part in giveback, which involves volunteering at events such as assessment centres, career fairs and presentations at schools. Outside of work there is the IBM Social Club which offers subsidized tickets to different events and activities within the local area.