Learning and Development Undergraduate Review

Throughout my time at VWFS I can say on the whole I have enjoyed my placement. Like any job, you have good and bad days. I think the main reason I have enjoyed my time at VWFS is the fact that I have personally gone out of my way to get involved with projects that aren't necessarily assigned to undergraduates as standard. I have also enjoyed my time at VWFS because my team have been great and supportive.

Feeling valued differed from colleague to colleague. At VWFS unfortunately there is the attitude that we are just 'undergraduates' and don't contribute much to the wider organisation- however it must be said that the majority of the employees at VWFS value undergraduates and are excited about the being in the business.

In my placement year I had a change of manager- which for me was a plus as I was reporting into a senior role from March which raised my visibility. However at this point I was fully aware of my responsibilities and didn't need much direction. Even through the transition I have felt supported and help is always there when needed.

As an ambitious undergraduate I constantly asked for more work to be busy- I like the fact I can work from home or in a quiet booth when extremely busy which was a big plus for me. I have been able to manage time effectively and believe the balance of work/home life has been good.

This was the first year VWFS had an L&D Undergraduate; therefore they learnt as much as me about my role. Because I have been majority project based, I think I have been given some responsibility. However sometimes there is a culture that you can't be involved in certain things because you are an undergraduate. I think this is a real shame as some undergraduates could bring a lot to certain projects. I would have preferred if it was based on capability rather than your job title.

Working in learning and development has been massively applicable to developing skills and commercial understanding. My self-awareness has developed massively and having access to VWFS tailored training for undergraduates has been great. Even though I haven't related massively to my degree, I think the employability skills and soft skills will last through my entire career.

The atmosphere in the office was great. Everyone is very personable, friendly and supportive. The free cakes on birthday, coffee and tea always make for a special atmosphere. Christmas was especially great and the office had a great community feel to it.

I think my individual placement was set up well even though I was the first learning and development undergraduate within the team. However the overall programme sometimes lacked slight direction from the sponsor. Would be good to get undergrads involved in a designated charity day. However majority is good in comparison to other friends on placement at different companies.

The firm invested massively if you were willing to go out of your way to find it. I personally looked for a mentor and coach, and the learning offer for all employees is great; as we say in L&D - personal development is driven by you!

The future employment prospects are low- career development can be quite slow paced at VWFS there it does not make it an attractive employer for me as I have high ambitions. However the links with Volkswagen Group as massively appealing and the chance to gain a fast track space on their graduate scheme is great. I wouldn't be against returning to VWFS when I have reached a certain level within my career.

There wasn't much of a community feel to the undergraduates compared to university- probably because there was only a small amount of us and we didn't all necessarily get along as a friendships group or live near each other if so. The company made no effort to bring us all together as a social group across the year which is a shame.

Cost of living in Milton Keynes is huge for a central location. You can't walk anywhere because everywhere is so close together therefore spend a FORTUNE in fuel/taxi's. As it's not a student town either- the price of a night out is considerably more- in fact I've been worse of earning £16,500 this year than I was as a student with a part-time job! However this is not a reflection on VWFS as I appreciate it is a lot cheaper than living in central London.

The nightlife is OK in Milton Keynes - not very student friendly and can only really afford to go to bars on payday! - the only saving grace is that it's only 30 minutes on the train to London and is fairly accessible in terms of price and frequency.

Whilst Milton Keynes isn't great for many things- this it is! Because it's a London commuter town its geared up for families and working professionals. I got the chance to get involved with British Military Fitness, Horse Riding, Netball, the gym etc...