Material Planner Review

It's been an extremely enjoyable placement with many challenges and opportunities to try different areas. I've worked in the supply chain, operations and transport as well as dealing with engineering and finance which has given me a good overall view of the business and has made it more interesting than a basic job. Having responsibilities has been stressful but it makes it worth while. The experience I've gained has been invaluable. I would recommend Caterpillar to most people as a placement.

We work in a small team and the site as a whole is very small so you get to know most of the people and what they do which is extremely beneficial when you're trying to deal with issues which arise. We've had many nights out as a group which has been good for getting to know everyone in a more relaxed atmosphere. I have many of the people I work with on social networking sights which is probably testament to how well people get along. Sometimes there is tension but that is to be expected in a work environment where deadlines are important.

The training I received was adequate and it was sometimes a case of getting on and dealing with it which is sometimes the best way to learn as you have to deal with the issues yourself and need to ask questions which you may not have asked if you were being guided through by someone who was doing it all.. If there have ever been any issues the manager is always available and as it is such a small team they can spend more time with you rather than having loads of other people to deal with too. I still have questions every now and again which are dealt with.

It really depends on what I'm dealing with at that moment in time. If I'm dealing with transport and the material planning then it can be difficult to do everything but if I'm only dealing with one area then it's pretty steady throughout the week. Monday is probably the busiest day as the schedules are sent over the weekend and they need to be look through and suppliers contacted. If you deal with the issues when they arise then there won't be that much work. If you let issues continue then you will have too much work. I've never been bored because there is generally something to check.

When I was asked to deal with the transport for the facility when the usual transport team member is away then I have all the responsibility and it's a really good way to meet everyone who you wouldn't normally associate with. As material planners we are ultimately responsible for our suppliers and the delivery of parts so if our parts are late it is our job to sort a recovery plan and get them here as soon as possible. This is good but sometimes the stress can take over and you just need to take some time to refocus and sort the issue.

I've learnt about lead times, INCO terms, manufacturing, the supply chain as a whole, the transport networks used, clearance, different countries policies in regards to military goods and how you would go about dealing with issues which happen in the chain. As a transport student it has been invaluable to see how it all works and the experience I've gained will certainly help me when it comes to my final year. Skills such as time management, dealing with stress, being focused, dealing with different people and having confidence are all great skills I can carry forward. It's been a valuable experience.

It really depended on the day and what was happening in the operations environment. if we had operational issues then the atmosphere was electrified and everyone was dashing around making calls and sending emails but other days it can be very calm, quiet and relaxed. The office is a good place to be with great people who can be up for a joke but be serious at the same time. Having close relationships with everyone and their daily lives means there's stuff to talk about which isn't restricted to the office environment.

We received adequate training and were allowed to deal with issues. I never had an issue with the organisation of the placement and for me it worked well. The HR department are always available to answer questions and they are very helpful when it comes to placement issues. The department had things set up for us to do with very defined job roles which helps with the guidance. The managers are always helpful when it comes to things we need for university and will make time for any issues that we have, The uni needs paperwork done every 3 months and the company have been understanding.

They've given me everything I could have asked for and more. As a transport student I had come into CAT just expecting to be dealing with the material planning with only limited amounts of exposure to transport. When they let me handle the transport it was a great opportunity and has given me something else which I can add to my CV, dealing with the international and domestic transport for the facility is a great thing to say to future employees. They took us on a tour of the DHL facility at EMA which was a great experience and let me see the end result of the transport that I organised.

Caterpillar is a global company which is recognised and respected around the world. With the experience I've gained I can go into any of the sites and start working with very little guidance as all the processes should be the same due to the standard work procedure. I am going to be looking at future positions at Caterpillar in the UK and abroad for when I finish uni. I will also be looking at related industries and I'm sure with Caterpillar on the CV it will be beneficial.

There are only 5 placement students at the site. I work closely with one of them and live with another one. We have all come together and we have social days out and get on well. We all came from different universities but due to the size of the site we have dealt with each other at some stage even though the others are in engineering and IT. The social aspect with other colleagues is good and it's a good environment to work in.

I share a flat in the town centre and this costs us about £350 a month each with the bills which isn't too bad but the location is fantastic and the amount of things we are able to do is extensive. The flat is near the park, gym, river, shops, bar and pubs which means everything is within walking distance and has allowed us to enjoy the placement so much more. It's not cheap but you're paid well enough so it's not too bad.

I can't comment as I haven't been out on that many nights out but there are loads of clubs, pubs and places for dinner which is good. I've always had a good time when I've gone out and since I'm in the centre it has allowed me to see everyone coming to and from the clubs and they seem to have a good time. There's a 24 hour McDonalds in the town which must show that the night life is good..... I will be getting my friends from uni to come stay and we'll do stuff. Shrewsbury is a great place to live.

It really depends what you want out of the town. I'm a member of the gym and there's guys there who I've become friends with and the usually have drinks out after a session. There's poetry societies, language clubs, loads of stuff to do in the town but it's up to you to find them. Shrewsbury is a very active town and there are usually things on the weekend especially in the spring and summer with the festivals and the flower show which is extremely popular.