Junior Product Specialist Review

Quite an enjoyable job, working with a large team of members across several different sites and trusts / hospitals. Challenging at times.

Felt very valued by my immediate team and line managers, not a lot of interdepartmental interaction.

Help was on hand if it was needed, but I was rarely located in the same office as the same manager for more than 2 days a week. This was a positive aspect as it made me use my initiative a lot more.

On a daily basis it really varied, Mondays and Thursdays would be extremely busy due to changover days and more tasks needing to be completed on those days, based on when the product speciailists e-mailed in the latest info updates and status reports.

I had an awful lot fo responsibility while on placement, but the work load was always shared between myself and another IP student. I had the sole responsibility of keeping the PS inbox up to date, managing PS timesheets, training courses, holiday bookings and a management database to complete in the year. We also had lots of presentations to complete for team leaders before our work was allowed to replace the existing systems in place.

I strongly believe i have picked up some priceless skills during my placement at CSC. I have boosted many personal and business competencies that will keep me in good stead in the Business world.

Generally, it was primarily a working atmosphere, people tended to keep themselves to themselves an get on with the task in hand. I wouldn't rate it as the best working atmosphere but at times when working with a close team it would be a lot better.

Overall it was good experience, but I think more time should have been taken to ensure the job description provided before taking the job was met. There was also department and management changes which affected our work structure during the year. There was not much awareness of communicating our performance from line management back to university and long delays in getting work logs handed back and evaluated.

In my honest opinion, I do feel I have taken a lot from my placement year but I also believe that was down to me wanting to pick up new skills rather than them giving me lots of options and opportunities.

I think after having a year with the company in various departments I would definitely consider taking the graduate package within the business departments as I definitely enjoyed the business side of work more than the technical tasks that were set.

I was based at Knowsley, along with 2 other IP students, we gelled right away and had many good nights out and also got invited out on staff nights / xmas and birthday nights out. From working at other sites, I could see that there was a much larger group of students and younger people on board which might have been a better location, such as Leeds.

I stayed in university accommodation still, in Liverpool, so I was happy with the additional income I had left over after my Rent and had enough for socialising, I didn't earn enough to manag to save up much over the year, however.

Not a lot of places to go for a night out in Knowsley or Huyton where I was based, but obviously I'm just on the outskirts of Liverpool, same as at uni which has a great night life, along with Leeds when I worked there!

Minimal activites were organised to be honest, other than 5 a side football and work nights out.