IT Mobile Analyst Review

Really enjoyed the placement year. Learnt a lot on the job and was able to apply my skills learnt at university at the workplace. I also was able to fully develop on many of my other skills. As part of the placement scheme, I had the chance to take part in various activities and also take part in charity days. All in all, good work-life balance.

Extremely friendly colleagues from various departments around the office. Treat you like a normal employee ensuring you do not feel out of place. I was always comfortable in asking questions or conversing with colleagues due to their friendly nature and respect. Even though it is a global organisation, there was a family-friendly feel to the job.

I was given ample support by not only my own day-to-day manager but from anyone who had the knowledge to do so. For example, if there was a question I had which someone from another department could answer, they were always ready to do so. As part of the placement, you also get allocated a mentor who is there to support you in anything you need or any concerns you may have.

Because the nature of the placement means you are working on real projects and tasks which affect customers out there, there was never a day that I could say I was never busy. There was always something to do at all times- this is a good thing. Of course, during certain times of the year there was instances where there was a lot of work needed to be done, but I was never overburdened.

I was surprised by the amount of responsibility I was given considering I was a placement student. This of course turned out to be a positive thing as this is the best and most practical way to learn on the job. Also, when my manager was away on holiday, I was entrusted with more responsibilities thus ensuring I could learn more doing extra tasks.

The skills I have developed during this placement will no doubt assist me greatly in my future career or even if I decide to study further. These skills include technical skills, ‘soft’ skills (e.g. communication skills), and also general knowledge about how the tech industry works. There are many aspects of the placement in general that I have understood which I could implement into a future job role.

There was a good atmosphere in the office; it wasn’t too loud nor too quiet. Because everyone was friendly, it was pretty enjoyable to go around the office and talk to someone for a bit or meet up in the staff kitchen. There was also a designated section of the office which was set up as a small room in which I could meet up with a couple of colleagues for a mini break and to catch up for a bit.

The placement was very well organised from the beginning in my opinion. Lots of relevant documents were sent out and I was able to contact the placement HR team before I started the placement if I had any queries, without any trouble. There were lots of activities organised for community of placement students as well as monthly meetings (in IT) where us students could air our concerns or opinions if we wanted to.

Especially during the beginning of the placement, there were quite a lot of developmental programmes setup for me and the other placement students. These programmes included ‘Presentation Training’, ‘Excel Training’, and also general training regarding health & safety and business continuity planning. In addition to that there were compulsory online courses related to corporate training such as ‘Anti-Corruption’ training and ‘Corporate Law’ training.

Limited future prospects. The company does not have a typical graduate programme scheme (such as other global companies).

The placement student community was quite a strong one and probably the biggest of its kind in the UK. The students were from different departments within the company such as IT, Business, Finance and Engineering. Regular social events were planned throughout the year which included meals at restaurants and other such events.

The cost of living was quite decent compared to say, London.

Although I did not personally experience it, I did not hear the best things in terms of nightlife in this area.

There were many activities planned by the company which involved colleagues getting together outside of work. Such activities included team-building events, restaurant meals as well as sporting activities. The company has a large presence in the community and all colleagues are required to do charity days to help out in the community. This charity day also means you do not have to come into work on that day.