Rotational Plant Finance Placement Review

I have been continually privileged as I have engaged in 4 different demanding finance roles, working in 3 different teams and under 3 different managers. The implications of this have been that I have received exposure to multiple areas of finance including Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Financial Compliance and Fixed Assets.

I have been trusted with full time responsibilities that have added real value to the business and I have felt like an integral team member. This is demonstrated as i have been given the chance to apply some of the small-scale knowledge that I had before into real life situations. For example I now have a much clearer understanding of the links between the Balance Sheet and the Profit and Loss Account and how transactions are actually recorded in month end journals.

My responsibilities have not felt too over whelming because of the constant support and individual development that has been implemented along the way. This has been in the form of regular 1 to 1 meetings with my managers, a buddy system and quarterly performance reviews, that have allowed me to taken on more challenges than I thought I would be capable of.

My placement was constantly challenging as i would always have upcoming deadlines on top of adhoc requests. This was highly motivating and provided me with a real insight to working life. It should be noted that I seeked further work responsibilities as i thrived to make the most out of my time at Cummins and got involved with many external activities relating to community involvement.

My responsibilities increased throughout my placement. This was a result of my confidence increasing and making many process improvements along the way. I was also given the opportunity to provide support to many team members outside of my job responsibilities. It should be noted the standard responsibilities were enough, i just chose to go above and beyond where possible.

I will plan on incorporating a “Task-List” approach to all of my modules as I believe it will help me to manage my time effectively, meet deadlines and make time for my hobbies when appropriate. I believe this comes hand in hand with my enhanced Microsoft Office skills, as I believe they will help to me to complete assignments in the most efficient manner.

The atmosphere was well balanced as it was professional, while being extremely friendly. The dress code is relaxed too as "business casual". The implications of this are that you do not need to stress about what you need to wear to work. E.g. smart shoes, ironed shirt and ironed trousers (simple!).

The placement scheme is very well organised with formal handovers, a buddy system and work instructions provided. The training is spread out and therefore is not too overwhelming and repetitive. Communication is very effective and we were given the opportunity to get involved with the recruiting the next lot of placements.

They have ensured that I have received a vast level of business exposure, while setting me many SMART objectives that are reviewed on a quarterly basis and are supported with one to one meetings on a weekly basis. The then operate a bursary award to recognise a select few students that have exceeded all expectations.

My Initial aim of my Placement was to help decide on where I wanted my career to go and to discover whether or not Finance is right for me, given that my it is only 50% of my degree and that I had no experience in the workplace. I am now in a position to say that I would love to pursue a career in Finance. During the next academic year, I will be seeking graduate opportunities in Finance and despite the business circumstances I will be keeping a close eye on the on the Cummins careers page for job opportunities at Cummins Sites across the UK as I am highly flexible in terms of location.

There were 32 other placement at Cummins Power Generation in Kent. The previous Human Resources Placement student organised a welcome day that allowed us all to meeting each other prior to starting. It was during this time that we agreed "who was going to live with who?". Since then we have formed a large friendship group that regularly meet up outside of work.

The cost of living is not subsidised by the company. My Monthly Breakdown (price per person, per month. Sharing a 3 bed flat): Rent = £250.00 Utilities = £50.00 Internet = £12.50 If you do not drive, a bus pass in £12.50 a week for unlimited travel in the area. There are lots of supermarket options including, Asda, Sainsburys, Tesco, M&S, Lidl, Aldi and Waitrose.

The nightlife is non existent here in Ramsgate. There are many pubs that close at 11pm, while there are a few "Bars" that are open later (2/3am). There are no night clubs. Note that Canterbury is only 30 minutes away and so if that does interest you then maybe you could live there and commute daily.

I have learnt the importance of core values and how they can be used to form a culture and internal business relationships outside of your daily job. It is compulsory for all employees to conduct a minimum of 4 hours a year to help the local communities. On top of this there is a sports and social club that offer discounted days out and attractions through out the year.