Assistant, HR & Training Review

I have absolutely loved my placement year working at Renault - the company has a great work ethic but everyone at head office is also extremely friendly and loves a good social too. It’s been great being part of a large intern group as well, making the transition from university to full-time work that little bit easier and offering the chance to make new friends!

My team were extremely welcoming from the very first day and made sure I was comfortable and happy throughout my placement year. I was included in all team outings and meetings and was also asked for my opinion on key department decisions, before they went ahead. I always felt like my contributions were valued both in my team and across the business.

I was always given support when I asked for it at work but I felt there could have been more 1-2-1 meetings with my manager to review my progress and set appropriate targets throughout the year. The rest of my team were very good at supporting me and offering me guidance if I didn’t understand any aspects of my role though.

I was always given tasks to do but as with any job, there were busier periods and quieter periods throughout the year. If I ever felt like I didn’t have enough work to do, I would just ask my manager or another member of the team and they were always happy to give me more to do.

I was given a lot of responsibility right from the start of my placement and it also increased as the year went on. Some of the things I took responsibility for included organising big charity events at head office and also managing multiple email inboxes at the same time, making sure to respond to any queries quickly and with the appropriate information.

The skills I developed and the training I received at Renault UK will be invaluable to me when I go back to university in September. The little things, like; how to manage my time better and how to prioritise my work load, will be extremely useful in my final year! I also believe my placement year will greatly aid me in getting a job once I graduate. Having worked in HR, I know a little bit more about how recruitment works and I’ve also experienced life in a corporate environment.

The office atmosphere was really nice and relaxed. It was easy to approach people you didn’t know and everyone was very helpful. Everyone worked extremely hard to get their work done but also enjoyed a good laugh too. There were always competitions or fun things happening around the office that people were keen to get involved in.

Overall the internship ran very smoothly but there probably could have been some things that were organised slightly better. For example, we could have benefitted from excel training during our 3 week handover period but this wasn’t organised until much later in the year. However, I wouldn’t say this affected us greatly.

The majority of training offered was on the job, which I think was the most effective for us, as interns. We were also allowed to go on product training days, where we could test out the vehicles and were given presentations to improve our knowledge of the cars and to show us their best features.

Renault UK offers a popular grad scheme but as it's rotational, I'm not sure I will be reapplying.

There was a good social scene among the interns; as there was nearly 20 of us, there was always somebody keen to do something. As we were close to London as well, it was easy to get into the centre if we wanted to go for drinks or a night out. Our non-work placement colleagues were also always keen to come out with us and socialise.

Being near London meant it was quite expensive when we went out for food/drinks but you can’t really expect anything else. A few of the interns decided to house share for the year and they managed to find reasonably priced accommodation around Watford and Uxbridge, which wasn’t too far from the office.

The nightlife near head office was ok, nothing particularly special. If we went into central London it was better.

There were lots of opportunities to get involved in things outside of work. As Renault sponsors or is a part of lots of events, there’s usually tickets available or the option to enter the events as well. I got to do the Men’s Health Survival of the Fittest 10k race and 5k Colour run, and go to Goodwood, as well as lots of other events. There was also the opportunity to get involved with the charity work at Renault, helping to brainstorm fundraising ideas and help improve participation around the office.