Site IT Services Review

My time at Mars was great, When recalling the positives of my placement year it becomes immediately apparent the huge amount of positive outcomes and experiences I have had over the last 12 months, giving me a huge sense of achievement and pride that my time spent at Mars was wisely invested and hugely enjoyable.

A huge positive of my time at Mars is the sense of responsibility and value, which was apparent from the very start of my placement. Although it is sometimes perceived that during a placement year you rarely get the opportunity be responsible for key projects/implementations - this was never the case at Mars, with me being able to shape how much responsibility I wanted to own in my role, with the knowledge that I had the safety and support if anything became too much to handle as well as being able to add value.

upon actually going through my induction period, tied with the support immediately available to me, it was clear that my expectations of clear structure, support and responsibility had both been reached and exceeded, with the timetabled induction checkpoints and consistent availability of my Line Manager to discuss objectives and development both helping me settle in and understand what was expected of me and what I can gain from my year with Mars.

During my first few days and weeks at Mars my overall reaction was a combination of admiration and interest for the business, and the huge potential of scope for my work and its possible global influence. With my role being footed in the global side of the business, I was busy throughout most days. Though this was manageable and flexible to what I wanted.

I was allowed to work on a number of development opportunities and projects, such as ‘stakeholder management’ and ‘dealing with ambiguity’ projects, to gain a large grasp on what business management truly involves on multiple levels – be it operational or strategic. For me, this was the very best thing overall, as it covered so much of what I wanted to achieve out of the year (such as development and responsibility), whilst also always keeping me engaged and excited for what the next day brings.

I feel my placement has underpinned a lot of my personal learning and skills development; with the Personal Development Plan at Mars, tied with the work done in line with my University Graduate Skills Framework (and accompanying blogs), bringing the idea of key skills to the forefront of my mind and how subsequently I approach certain experiences – be it education or work.

The office atmosphere is that very similar to a family environment, with it being very vibrant and open-plan. Everything, and everyone, has an approachable feel which is both great when new to the office and towards the end of the placement. With Office Wellbeing being important at Mars, the environment is always that of a positive one.

Over the set-up of my placement was well-structured, even with certain changes occurring throughout the year. There was a clear induction plan and week, alongside periodic check-ins with both HR and the Placement Line Managers to ensure everything is going well and that there is no issues with the placement throughout the year.

One of Mars biggest strengths is the sheer investment they put into your development, ability and training – be it as a full-time associate or a temporary placement student. I had a personal development plan within the company alongside multiple training courses and opportunities to develop, all supported and championed by Mars.

Future employability prospects are huge with Mars, with placement students being categorised as the possible ‘pipeline for talent’ in the future and hopefully expected to want to join the company following their placement and final year at Uni. As a placement student you have the opportunity to panel for the graduate scheme for once you graduate. I went through this process and now have a job with them.

The social scene was strong at Mars, with there being a number of opportunities both in and out of work to engage in both sports and other activities. Some of these included go-karting, rock climbing, pub visits and squash. Although the number of placement students is usually small, there is still a vibrant social scene in the area.

Due to the area in which Mars is placed accommodation can be a struggle, however due to the Slough factory being outside of London prices are still cheaper than others and transport routes are usually freely available. It is advised to be cautious when visiting places to rent, as in this area you certainly begin to pay a premium for anything beyond Slough.

Due to Slough being predominantly industry based, there is limited to no nightlife in the immediate area. However areas such as Windsor, Reading and London are extremely close and offer a great social scene including clubs and pubs. These can be easily accessed through trains and taxis if a night out was required.

Outside of work there is a number of opportunities and activities to get involved in. The main ones include sports groups and teams such as Hockey and football, or the Mars volunteering program which enables you to support local charities and events of your choosing all whilst being supported by Mars.