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
The opportinities I was offered were phenomenal. Working for a company that is industry leading in the premium auto and motorsport sectors has an extreme advantage.
I had a strong sense of indipendance and value in the tasks I was given and the decisions I was asked to make during my placement. My opinions and thoughts were considered and taken on boar during meetings and projects with substantially senior figures within the company.
My supervisors were experienced in mentoring placement students and I learnt very valuable professional and life skills during my time at BMW.
The tasks given were suitable for the time allocated however it must be understood that this is not a 9-5. Companies like BMW rely on their employees to get the job done including occassionally needing to stay late from time to time. It's about balancing the workload out.
The level of responsibility was suitable. Where I excelled I was given the opportunities to really run with it however where aspects were challenging or beyond my knowledge or ability i was supported and encouraged to make my own decisions.
The work ethic, time management and discipline I learnt has really helped me already in my first month back to university. Its a noticable difference that I and others around me can see clearly. Corporate structure communication techniques has also assisted me in knowing how to talk to people in the correct way to achieve an outcome. This has allowed me to help influence those around me including peers, tutors and administrative university staff. Additionally the work ethic skills and the project management aspects has really helped me break my work load down into smaller chunks and takle them head on in a timely mannor and for the first time during my university studies I'm hitting coursework deadlines in ample time!
The Company
Fantastic atmosphere with a lot of laughter and ample quiet time when the work was heavy. The sense of teamwork was strong at all times and the support was fantastic.
Everything was ready for me when I started, the management knew everything that needed to be done and were very quick to help me set up everything that needed to be done to get me working.
I attended training courses on VPS (Value-added Production Systems), Lean manufacturing processes, health and safety at work and a whole host of technical skills which will help me no end in my future career. BMW has a clear tendancy to offer it's employees training and professional development opportunities as best it can which is a really good thing to see.
National Travel
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
I was offered a job upon graduation.
The Culture
I had to commute a lot from Coventry to Oxford so for me the ability to socialise with other students and colleagues was somewhat hampered. However there are constantly events organised for socials available to those who it would suit.
Oxfordshire is incredibly expensive, so much so that i chose to commute daily 138 miles round trip and live at my parents home as it was simply uneconomical to move.
Unaware but I hear it's great
The only opportunity I am aware of, as I engaged in it, was the OX4 Racing Mini Challenge race team based in plant oxford.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Automotive Engineering, Manufacturing
South East
November 2016