Business Operations Analyst- RBS Account Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year. I was fortunate enough to be placed on a large and interesting account operating in an industry relevant to my studies, and with a knowledgeable and friendly team who were keen to get me involved wherever possible. I picked up valuable experience from the start and throughout.

From the start of my year my team made it very clear how they were keen to get me involved in as much as possible and that the work I would be doing would be adding value to the team. Throughout the year my team regularly trusted me with a variety of tasks and showed appreciation of my output. Both in and out of the office, I got on with colleagues I worked closely with and those I didn't.

With many members of my team doing placement years when they were at university, they knew the importance of a productive and useful year in industry, notably my task manager and the MD of the account I was working on. They trusted me with a variety of tasks and were there to support me when I had queries or needed help.

In a week I would have regular tasks that would take about a days worth a work. The rest of my time was occupied doing 'one off' or less regular tasks which would require my time and thinking. At certain times I was a lot busier than a regular week, however any free time could be occupied by exploiting the internal learning materials offered by IBM.

I feel that I was trusted to perform a wide variety of tasks with increasing importance throughout the year. The team would have no issue with designating me a task that carried value and responsibility. This work would then be checked over by the team who would then give me feedback allowing to me to be assigned even more responsibility on the next task.

In my year I saw a lot of what I have studied happening in the real world such as trying to maximise efficiency and cost reduction. The skills I developed throughout the year with IBM were from a more practical aspect such as time management, task prioritisation, presentation skills and professionalism.

Apart from some Monday's and Friday's (mainly around school holidays) the office was a lively and fun place to work. Especially mid-week when colleagues from other locations traveled up, the office would be an entertaining with everyone including managers and directors willing to have a laugh.

As I was the first placement student to work on the account, I did not have a handover from a previous student and not a specific set structure for my work. However I saw this as a positive as it allowed me to learn all about the role myself and shape it so I could get involved in areas that particularly interested me.

IBM has a mountain of internal education resources for all employees to exploit. They actively encourage 40 hours of personal development per year for all workers and regularly update online materials so that you can keep developing your knowledge. My team also provided me with a lot of chance for personal development by allowing and encouraging me to travel to other locations to meet fellow interns and attend workshops so I could add value to myself and the team.

IBM has a myriad of roles that cater to almost anyone. There is no shortage of opportunities for graduates meaning that you are highly likely to find a role that is appealing to you. They run an internal event for placement students to demonstrate grad role opportunities, explain how to enter the process for joining for grad scheme and provide a variety of speakers from different sectors to discuss their roles.

I was one of only two placement students at my location however this did not affect the social scene with colleagues. Members of my close and wider team were always keen for going for a meal or drinks after work, especially those who have to travel up from other locations. We ran charitable events as a team allowing for further socialising. Also the IBM club allowed for me to attend a variety of organised events with others in the office that I would not have met just in my role.

As Edinburgh is capital city, it obviously wasn't cheap. However, it was much cheaper than London and I could afford a smart flat walking distance to the office and city centre comfortably. I never had to miss a social event with work or friends from outside the office due to lack of funds.

Edinburgh is a very lively city and the nightlife can accommodate for everyone. There is a variety of night clubs with differing levels of expensiveness. There are also many bars and pubs with live music and entertainment with reasonable prices for a capital city.

I joined a hockey team which was very easy to get involved with. There was no shortage of opportunities and you could easily find something for every interest in the city.