This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I have loved my year at Jaguar Land Rover. Getting exposure to their amazing products and future products is something I thoroughly enjoyed. There were lots of opportunities to get involved in product events and trialling which meant sometimes I'd get to take a nice Jag home...
I was never treated like an undergrad, and was well integrated into the team after only a couple of months. The work environment is very positive which has been highly motivating.
Support was always there for me if required it with no micromanaging involved, my manager was great and would always have time to answer any questions regardless of how busy he was.
Some days I'd be in back to back meetings 8am-5pm and other days would be quiet. This balanced out well and gave me the opportunity to catch up work I'd get behind on during the busy days. I was never left with nothing to do, as I'd just ask and be given a task/project.
I was given projects to own and deliver on my own, which meant I had full responsibility over them. I had to ensure projects were delivered to time, cost and quality. It really gave me a sense of purpose and an established role within the team. Which I then handed over to a permanent new starter, who then took over my role.
Project management is one the greatest skills I will take away from this placement year. It has taught me how to spot an issue and go through all the various steps and processes to rectify it/ deliver a project. Presentation skills is another area my placement in Global Marketing has helped me build on, as I've been given the opportunity to present my own work back into meetings which has increased my confidence in this area.
The Company
I think there are areas that JLR need to improve on in terms of the structure and introduction of placement year students, we didn't get any site tours. I wish they would have done 6 month rotations so I could have gained experience in another area of Marketing. However if any issues came to light the placement team were very quick to respond and I organised a few weeks in another area on my own which was good.
Flexi Time
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Above 25 days holiday
Working from home
If you perform well on your placement year, JLR now hold an end of year review in which they will offer you to come back on the graduate scheme after you finish Uni (pending head count approval).
The Culture
Yes, other placement students are keen to mingle and also going out for team drinks was something that occurred often.
I lived in Coventry which was really cheap, however not a fun or nice area to live in. Leamington Spa is significantly more expensive but has way more to offer.
What nightlife? Do not live in Coventry if you get this placement, look to stay in Leamington spa. The nightlife there is much better and it's generally a nicer place to live with a better social scene.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Automotive Engineering, Business Management, Marketing, PR & Communications, Sales
West Midlands
June 2016