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 really enjoyed my placement at Volkswagen Group, I was given a huge amount of responsibility and was given the chance to get involved with a variety of different projects. The benefits were great as well, two brand new company cars and the opportunity to go on many exciting events.
My colleagues were very supportive throughout my placement and gave me a lot of praise and recognition for my hard work. I really feel they have valued my contribution to the team and having me around as a colleague. I am very sad to leave my team and they keep saying that they don't know what they will do without me!
At the beginning of the year I was set several objectives, work and personal. This gave me direction throughout the year and we would regularly have catch ups and meetings to discuss progress and any issues that may have arose. I really feel like my manager and I had a very positive relationship where I could speak openly and honestly.
It varied, as my job was quite project focused- sometimes I would be very busy managing several different projects and sometimes I would be focussing on just one. Generally, my workload was what I expected and manageable. Prioritisation is important and is a skill that I think has definitely developed this year.
I was given a great deal of responsibility- my colleagues and management team entrusted me to produce materials and presentations for key stakeholders and with very little guidance. I got the opportunity to do several high level presentations throughout my placement and manage some key projects.
I feel I have definitely improved my verbal communications skills and presenting skills this year which will inevitably aid me during my final year at university. I have also grown my confidence in terms of approaching important people and my excel competency which will benefit me in my future career.
The Company
Very positive office to work in.
Fairly organised- HR took a lead at the beginning to make sure everyone was set up on the right systems and knew what they needed to do. However- it is then left to your new team to organise. I was lucky that my team were prepared but more involvement from HR after the first few weeks might have been better.
I was very lucky to have access to many different training courses- excel, PowerPoint, presentation training and even a 'brand you' course to help you stand out. I think these courses will be invaluable to me in the future and feel Volkswagen really invest heavily in their employees, which is of course important for retention.
Company Car
Subsidised/Company Gym
International Travel
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Above 25 days holiday
Working from home
Very good grad scheme- however only 12 places available so very competitive.
The Culture
I was very lucky that I got on so well with the other undergraduates in my year- we regularly went on social nights out and I even went on holiday with five other undergrads on a ski trip. My colleagues were also up for social activities- we had an eating out social club who would all go out together and try new restaurants.
Not too bad considering pretty close to London
Not very good- Milton Keynes only has 2 clubs but the bars are nice and you can still have a good night with good people.
Some- going out for drinks and dinner.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Marketing
South East
June 2016