Procurement and Supply Chain summer placement Review

I really enjoyed working for British Gas. I was able to learn a lot in only a few weeks and feel like I was really part of the team,

I felt valued by my colleagues as I worked on a concrete project and participated in all the meetings. They were always welcoming.

My manager did an amazing job by guiding and providing me constant support while giving me enough autonomy to feel responsible. I was also able to ask questions to others members of the team.

I think that I had the right amount of work, feeling busy all the time but not overloaded.

I was given a lot of autonomy during my placement. I was given two projects and worked on them alone even though I could always seek some support if needed.

I think discovering a new work environment and functions helped me developed new skills. We had a great training on presentation skills which was also very enriching.

British Gas has a really friendly atmosphere. My colleagues seemed to really enjoyed each others and were also spending some time together outside of work. Most of the offices are open space which makes then very friendly and fun to work in. My team was always eating together as well which creates some team spirit.

The placement is really well organized. The fact that accommodation is provided by Centrica makes a big difference as you don't have to look for a place to live in when you move in. The HR also made a lot of effort to explain us everything and make sure that the work placement went well.

I think that the company makes a good effort on training. We had two training sessions, one on Excel and the other one on presentation skills. Compared to some of the banks that organize a full week of training, it can be a little light but it was really valuable and I enjoyed it.

As the company is going through a re organization at the moment there is some uncertainty on future employment prospects, but a large part of the Summer Placement integrate the Graduate scheme one year later. I think that the situation will clarify in a few months and re organizations can also create interesting opportunities.

As all the summer placement students live together, the atmosphere is really friendly and we got to spend a lot of time together. A lot of events were organized to give us the opportunity to gather and have fun together, such as BBQ and sport competitions. In the end two months feel really short,

As accommodation is provided by Centrica, overall the cost of living is really decent and the area is much cheaper than London. I was able to save money during my Summer placement without having to cut on any of my expenses. I think that the fact that we don't have to pay for rent really makes a big difference.

The nightlife is pretty nonexistent but was not too much of a problem as we all lived together are created our own night life. Don't go to Staines if you expect to go clubbing every evening though, you would be very disappointed. There were still some nice bars around the area where we lived.

Yes we were given a lot of opportunities to get involved. We all participated in a Charity challenge by tams. The goal was to raise money for Shelter an organization that runs a housing helpline, has a network of housing aid centres, and works with local citizens advice bureaux. We organized a few events such a football challenge and a bike rush.