Executive Support Review

The great think was that I was able to see every part of the generation business during my internship. My line manager allowed me to understand how all the company work together and how they work in the energy wholesale market. Of course, the fact that I work closely with executive help me to understand this at a more higher level.

I put efforts closely in all my work and the feedback was always good. The fact is that they needed a french speaker to help them to translate some documents and help with relationship with France and EDF SA. Added to all of this, I had the chance to be included in a good team with a good atmosphere that help me to take my place into the teem and feel included.

My direct line manager was always happy to give any help. In additional, I have other manager in the team who asked me for doing some work. All of those who ask me for doing a work was always glad to answer my questions if any came to my mind. If I got stuck on something I could ask for some help to the rest of the team. And I always had feedback on the work that I have done to do best the next time.

It depends if the period during my placement. During the first 3 months I was busy thanks to a lot of business travel. Every week or every two weeks I get some days out of the office that really help me to enjoy his placement. During one-two month after I start to travel less and didn't have more work even if I asked for it. So I start to create my own work and use my day in a two part. First part in the morning with the asked work by my managers and the second part of worked was dedicated to the work that I give to myself. At this point, I still kept myself busy.

Unfortunately, I don't feel having a lot of responsibilities during this placement. Even if I am doing an MBA, the biggest work I done was an "exercise" given by my line manager. As an executive support, I had a lot of document and presentation to made, but I never take responsibilities directly to the exec team. This can be explain by the fact that, as a young french student, I had a lot to learn to be confident in this work area (about the language, culture, ....). But I am looking for the last month to have some responsibilities

I am currently doing an MBA in Energy Management. Thanks to my line manager, I had the opportunity to see the generation side where I work but also the retail side. In the end of this year, I have to choose a specialty for my MBA. Thanks to this I will be able to choose a path. It's mostly an understanding of the wholesale market and of the executive team work that will be helpful for me in the future.

The atmosphere in the office is really good for a British office. Of course, is less good than french office but people here are quiet nice and helpful. I think the atmosphere of the team helped a lot and also the several french people in the building that seems more social than British people in the work place. Thanks to some overnight go out, the atmosphere in the team is really nice and fun. I know a lot of places where the work is boring and the team as well.

It was really bad organised and long. The thing is that the recruitment to find this placement wasn't easy. I had to sent a lot of mail to a several people in the company to finally have an real answer after two months. After the interview, the recruitment process started and the complication too. The process recruitment take several months to end. They made several check about work experience in the last 3 years and need someone from each experiences. This heavy process take long time and they don't care about it until the start day. But, if this process is not finish, you can't start. Which mean that I start 10 days after my agreed first day.

The company have invest more in time than in actual training. In did, I didn't made any training or learning in this usual form. Instead, I went see people and discuss with them to know more about the wholesale market, the generation and the retail. Thanks to all of this, I had a lot chance to learn more in this energy field, and not only in nuclear but in the all market point of view. The executive team had to handle every thing which help me to understand the synergy in the company.

I think it may have some employment prospects if I was looking for it. In did, I am still studying and I have to finish my degree before start a job. I have 6 months in school left to do in France and a last internship that I will do might be in Portugal and in South of France. And only at the end of this internship I will be able to find a job somewhere with my master degree. This questions doesn't really apply to me.

In did there was a really good social scene between every placement students, and even more in particular with french placements. We were few Frenchis coming for an internship aboard for our study. Thanks to this, I went travel in the all UK with them and discover more about the British, Wales culture. And the social scene with colleagues is good too. I will not talk about french expat where the relation are really good but with my team mates the relation was really good thanks to a good atmosphere in the team.

The cost of living was relatively high. Cheltenham is a city where price are quite high. In addition, comparatively to France the price are even higher. And because of Brexit and the fall of pound, the price get even more higher. For me, as a French citizen, the pain are doubled. Higher price and lower salary as I am pay in pound. British people should do every thing they can to stop the Bexit which will be a economical and political disaster. (Sorry if I am a little out topic, but it's important to say !)

I came from Paris and compare it to Cheltenham is quite unfair. There is a few night clubs and few pubs but I think you done all of it in 1 or 2 nights. There is some good places where you can go not far from Cheltenham. At 1 hour max there is Bristol and Birmingham which are good city if you want to go out at night. I will recommend to try both towns. I might not be the most relevant person to ask for this question.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot of thing to do outside of work. It's mostly gym and fight sports that you can find. There is few cinemas if you want to and a horse racecourse. You don't have anything too much exotic to do. For myself I would say that the best thing to do is travel when you came here. In did, you have all UK not far: Bristol, Birmingham, Oxford at less than 1 hour Cardiff in Wales are less than 1 hour too And you can go for chip plane ticket to Dublin easily and stay there for the week end.