Finance Intern Review

I really enjoyed my whole year with General Electric Power Conversion in Rugby. Not only did I get to experience working life and how a team functions, I also made some really good friends. I got to experience a number of different sections to my role and so began to learn what I like doing and what I do not, but this also meant I was able to develop my skills across a number of areas rather than just specialising in one thing. Exactly what you look for with a placement role. Not only did I feel comfortable in my work place, I also felt like other employees got to know me and that I was useful and helpful in a number of different tasks. I was never bored and felt I was challenged to reach my full potential.

I feel I was valued by all colleagues I met and had the pleasure to work with. My role was very diverse so I got to meet a wide range of people, including very senior managers. I received a number of compliments from managers about the work I was contributing and so as an employee I feel very valued. Not only do I feel like my day-to-day work was appreciated and was providing value to the company, I was given special praise for the more involved tasks. GE have a very good system for rewarding employees, which shows their appreciation easily. My manager was also very good at showing appreciation, along with the other members of my team. I felt like a member of the team rather than 'just the intern'.

My manager was very supportive throughout my placement, whether it be with work, university or personal matters. If I had any trouble, I always felt I could ask for help from her or the team manager. Both attended my university talk and were very supportive in giving feedback to my placement tutor. Throughout the entirety of my placement, I did not feel alone or like I couldn't find support from my managers and other team members.

As a whole, my work load was perfectly manageable as it kept me busy so I didn't get bored but did not overload me with work. Obviously within a business there are times when more hours are required, but on the whole I had a very good work - life balance and feel that everyone who works at GE is very understanding of this need. Even though I was an intern, I was given a good amount of responsibility which ensured I was occupied and so enjoying my job on a daily basis.

I have given this section a rating of 8, as I would say I had the right amount of responsibility. I had specific tasks which I controlled and took care off, and there were other things that I helped others with or supported a piece of work with. I feel I was given quite a lot of responsibility over my daily and weekly tasks, which allowed me to develop a greater understanding of my role and the jobs I was performing. I also feel I was involved in a number of different tasks and was given responsibility here via my supporting role.

I believe that every aspect of my placement will be beneficial either in my degree, in my future career or in both. I have gained a huge amount of understanding in my field and believe that this has really helped me to decide in which direction I would like to take my future career. Not only this, but I feel I have given a huge amount of relevant and useful training, as I can now use software and systems that I had either never used or had limited experience in before. I also feel I have learnt a lot of theories that relate to my degree, as well as now fully understanding those I had limited understanding of before my placement. I now feel like I am a lot more experienced and I'm a much better trained candidate for future job applications.

The general atmosphere at the office had a very good balance. To a certain extent it was quite relaxed as everyone gets on very well and it's easy to have a conversation. Not only this, but everyone knows when it is okay to have a bit of a laugh and a joke. However, work also gets done. Everyone knows there is work to be done and can distinguish between when it's time to relax a little, and when it's time to crack on and get the work done. Everyone I met while on placement, in my office and the other offices on site, was extremely friendly and I never felt awkward or out of place. Overall, I would say the atmosphere was perfectly balanced - hence the rating of an 8.

General Electric has taken on interns for a number of years and across a number of different business sectors, therefore the experience was very well set up overall. It was made clear to us right from the beginning who to contact in case of any issues, and where to go should you encounter a problem. The induction lasted a week, which was brilliant as it allowed us to meet the other interns and find out where HR and other facilities were. It also meant that you learnt who was in which area of the business and how to get in contact with them should you need to speak to that particular area. Overall, I believe my work placement was extremely well set up and organised.

The company invested hugely in me. Not only was I allowed to attend all the training offered to me, my manager ensured I was up-to-date with what training was available and how to access this. I also got to speak to and meet a number of senior personnel who only visit the site once every few years, which meant I got to learn a lot about the company and how people had developed into their roles. My managers also took a great deal of interest in my university work and modules and so spent a lot of time helping me with this work. The company as a whole invested a lot of time and effort into my personal development as I got help from a number of different personnel including HR, my managers, my team and a range of other employees.

Future employment within General Electric is very appealing as I believe the company invests a huge amount of time and effort into it's employees and students. Not only this, but as it is such a large company there are good opportunities for progression within your team and within the global market. GE also offers graduate schemes which really help you to accelerate within the company, meaning there are fantastic opportunities for personal development.

The interns all get to know one another and so have the opportunity to go out and be social. GE also encourages interns to meet before starting so living arrangements can be made. There are also a number of employees who get involved with this, and there is a good social scene between teams.

Although I did not live in the area, the socialising was quite cheap. There are a number of pubs that all do reasonably priced food and drink. From what I understand from other interns, the living costs were okay depending on the area you lived in. Transport is quite cheap and buses and trains are easy to access, making Rugby an easy place to access for work.

Unfortunately, Rugby is not the best place for night life. However, as it's not far from Birmingham or Leicester, there are cities nearby with great nightlife and lots of students.

There are lots of sports clubs that GE operates at lunch times. Teams also get involved in team building exercises.