Finance Intern Review

I had a brilliant year at National Grid. There are so many opportunities both in your daily role and outside your role. I really enjoyed getting involved in volunteering opportunities outside my daily role, which National Grid totally encourage and support. The company is really keen to help you develop and support you fully. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming from day one.

I felt totally valued by all my colleagues. I never felt like I was 'just a placement student'. I was given proper work from the start, but was fully supported. I was gradually able to take on more and more tasks, and really felt apart of the team. I was given responsibility for certain tasks which was a great development opportunity. I was included on team meals, and team nights out, which was really nice.

I was given all the support and guidance I needed from my manager, and everyone else I worked with. I am in no doubt that had I needed or wanted more support I would have got it, but at the same time I was allowed to get on with things myself if I so chose. It was a case of making what you wanted of it. The support is definately there if you need it.

On the whole I felt I was given about the right amount of work and tasks. There was a few peaks and troughs during the year, and occassionally times when I didn't have so much on. However there is always development opportunites you can get involved in such as volunteering, or training courses in areas you may feel you need to work on. As a result if you think you may have a quiet patch coming up speak to your manager and see if there is something else you can get involved with, if not look for another opportunity. There is so much going on that you have no need to be bored.

I was given a nice amount of repsonsibilty, and an amount that I felt happy with. It intially pushed me slightly, although this was great as it helped me develop loads. I found most people treat you just as any other member of staff, and they give you a large repsonsibility and trust for the task you have been given. If you want more repsonsibilty I'm sure most managers are more than happy to try and find you additional opportunites, although if unsure and out of your depth there is always someone who you can ask or who will help you and review your work.

I think this year I will have learnt so many skills that will be useful in the future. In terms of skills I will use during my degree I think it will mainly be skills around time management, organisation and planning that will benefit me the most. I have used some technical skills from my degree, but on the whole real life isn't really like the textbook! However as I plan to make a career in this field of work, the skills I have learnt relating to the job will very much be useful to me beyond university.

I felt the office atmosphere was really good. I was made to feel totally welcome and at home from day one. There are a few main office locations where placement students are based. I have visted most of the main ones and while the atmosphere is slightly different at them all, they are all good and I wouldn't say one was better than another.

The organisation of the placement has been top class. We had a training module at the start which introduced us to the company and other students really well, plus it was a few nights away with somes socials. Excellent for getting to know everyone. The team I was working in had everything ready for me when I arrived in the office on my first day, and explained what I would be doing. Throughout the year the set up of interacting with the people in charge of the students at National Grid has been really good, and they have encouraged us to pursue all the opportunities we get. They have been fully supportive, and are always there is answer any questions.

National Grid is all about your development. As a placement student there is some compulsory training courses, mainly at the start and end of the placement. However there is hundreds of training courses available to everyone which you can enrol on yourself. As a placement student your are encouraged to go any any many training courses as you want. Throughout the year you will sit down regular with your manager to discuss your development, discuss any areas to work on, and they will see if there is any help you need in order to develop further. Pretty much anything that helps your development is good as far as NAtional Grid concerned, and they are fully supportive of this.

There are great future opportunites within the company. They offer a numbe rof different schemes, including a very attractive garduate scheme. The development opportunities and benefits that go with that are very competitive, and I don't know any graduates on the scheme who haven't had a great time. If you impress during a placement year you can get an automatic offer onto the graduate scheme.

The social scene amongest fellow placement stduents was very good. Been based in multiple locations can cause logistical problems, although we always tried to organise a big group social whenever we had a work event where we was all in the same location. We had some great socials including bowling, BBQ's, nights out, and a weekend trip to Wales. The social seen is basically what you make of it. You are encouraged to get together regular and organise things, but if no one organises anything, nothing will happen, so its down to you to make it what you want. But the opportunies are definately there.

There are many different locations where people are based so this would be different for everyone. I was based in a reasonably expensive area in terms of rent, however it was a lovely area to live and well worth the little bit extra. I found that it was more than possible to lead a very good social life in the area. I did all sorts of activities and things I had never done before, and it all fitted in the budget with a bit spare each month.

Again it depends where you are based. For me I felt the nightlife was really good, although this will depend on your previous experiences. There was a handful of nightclubs, and lots of bars. There are some really nice expensive style bars, but you have also got your cheap pre drinks style bars too. Food wise there was so much choice, whatever you liek there is something for you.

At National Grid there is so many opportunites to get involved outside of work. There is hundreds of voluntary activities to get involved in from helping out at events, to helping with activities for school children, taking part in community days and much more. There is also some social and sports clubs to get involved in, as well as an on site gym.