IBM Events Enablement and Communications Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year at IBM. I was exposed to various different opportunities and gained some great skills out of it. The social side was a main aspect as there are so many interns to make friends with. Additionally, I enjoyed that it encouraged you to give something back so I was able to take part in a number of additional activities. A few that I particularly enjoyed were helping run an assessment center and interviewing sixth form students in order to give them practice in an interview environment.

I felt very valued by my colleagues as they were there to support and guide me through activities, particularly when starting the role as I was new to the way of work. Additionally, they were very appreciative when completing a piece of work and gave me recognition on our Christmas team call and received chocolates after running a big event.

As IBM has a culture of working from home, I struggled a little at the start to adapt to the terminology and tools however I was given constant support by my manager who was always available to talk over the phone and there for help when needed. On the occasions where my manager was on holiday, there was someone else in the team that was there if I needed anything.

I was extremely busy on a regular basis. I had multiple tasks that I had to complete each week however I also took on additional responsibilities outside of my job role which took up more of my time. My job role was varied throughout which gave me a range of skills and kept me busy at all times.

I was given a lot of responsibility once I became confident in my job role. As an intern you do have to do the small jobs too however I was given full ownership of my responsibilities. My manager left me to organise the events on my own accord and if I had any problems or concerns she would be there to assist.

My set of skills improved immensely over my year at IBM. It gave me a valuable experience and enabled me to work on my time management. skills . As a result, when going back to university for my final year,I can continue to stay focused in the same 9am-5pm routine. Additionally, my drive to succeed has increased so I can complete my dissertation with more motivation and direction.

The general atmosphere in the office was positive and happy to help. I sat in the marketing area therefore if I had a marketing related problem I felt comfortable asking around in order to find the answer. Everyone was friendly and welcoming.

It was incredibly organised as I had a job role to go into and attended an induction to ensure we were aware of the do's and don'ts before starting. We were given an EPM to support us throughout the year and carried out a 3,6 and 12 month presentation to present our journey.

The company didn't necessarily invest money in me in terms of providing courses or training however I did get the opportunity to go to an events company and learn more about what they do and the relationship they had with IBM. It was interesting to get an insight into an agency business rather than a big corporation like IBM.

IBM offer incredibly appealing employment prospects with a variety of roles on offer. I am definitely applying back to become a graduate as I think it would be a great opportunity to build on my existing knowledge. I think going to the careers academy and finding out about what is on offer and the ins and outs of each role definitely helped make the decision.

Yes there was a very good social scene. As there are many interns all in the same position its a good environment to meet people and make friends. At Southbank we tend to have Thursday night socials every other week and meet regularly for lunch in the canteen.

As I picked a London placement it was likely to be expensive. I lived in Clapham during my year and paid over £700 a month for rent which is crazy however I felt I wanted to live the London experience. I had a 20 minute commute and after nights out it was so easy to get back home, I wouldn't have wanted to live anywhere else. As for the socialising, drinks tended to be double the price of normal with entry to clubs also considerably expensive.

I worked in the London offices in Southbank which was great for nightlife. It was a 5 minute walk from the tube station so it was easy access to go central. Alternatively, there was a bar next door which was along the river with an outside area therefore in the summer this was perfect and convenient for after work drinks.

There wasn't massive amounts however as a keen netball player there was an IBM Watson team. It was recommended through a friend so I got involved and played on a Monday evenings in a league not far from work. It was a great chance to mix with other interns and graduates to play competitively.