IT Analyst Review

My placement year was very valuable for numerous reasons and I've made some great friends and contacts along the way. The existing staff were very friendly and were very helpful if I needed to ask a question. There were great social opportunities throughout the year which allowed me to network with people and divisions I wouldn't normally be involved with on a typical day.

Despite being only a placement student, I was treated like a normal member of staff for the most part throughout my time at 3M. This is to say that my colleagues valued my opinions and suggestions and generally took on board what I had to say. This gave me a positive feeling about the work I was doing and created a happier working environment.

I was given a one month handover at the start of the year from the previous placement student which gave me a good grounding, and this was compounded by constant support throughout the year by my managers and colleagues. If I had a question I could ask freely and would either be given a direct answer or be pointed in the right direction in order to find a resolution.

At first, I think my team were perhaps reluctant to allow me responsibilities as they were unsure of my abilities, and so held back on handing over certain tasks to me. Coupled with the fact the company was going through a time of uncertainty as it was implementing a new enterprise system I was unsure of my role and what it required. It would be fair to say the year consisted of 'peaks' and 'troughs' - but overall the work, including the amount, was satisfying.

As the year progressed I felt I was given more and more responsibility which in turn gave me confidence in what I was doing. I was by no means running the show, but had I not been doing the things I was doing on a daily/weekly basis the team would've struggled with the work load and lack of expertise in the areas I was familiar with.

I can be greatly satisfied with the skills I developed in my placement year, not least because of all the soft skills I have picked up. Speaking in an appropriate manner to a stranger, whether in person or on the phone, may seem trivial to most but I had no experience prior to this year - and now I would say I am very confident in operating in a formal manner wherever and to whoever. My technical skills have also been expanded due to the complimentary 1 week free programming course the company paid for, along with day-to-day use of tools I had little to no experience in prior to this year.

The office was open-plan which inherently encourages discussion and collaboration with colleagues. This paired with the authentic and positive nature of most of my colleagues created a pleasant working environment: chatty at times, and plenty of quiet to meet deadlines. The large group of other IPs in the building meant I always had someone my own age to talk to and lunch with, which was a huge relief.

HR did a good job in ensuring that there was something in the calendar for placement students; whether that be trips to other sites or lunches. From start to finish we (the placement students) were all made aware of who to contact in what type of situation, and always had the contact details of the HR industrial placement coordinator.

The company paid for a week's training course to improve my technical skills for the work I was to be undertaking throughout the year. I thought it was a kind gesture and allowed me to do something productive in what was at the time a period of little work for me in the office. They also allowed me to complete an Insights workshop to discover different niches and working styles about myself and others, which allowed me to develop my weaker skills accordingly.

I would consider an employment offer from 3M but I am unsure whether I would like to remain in the same role. Due to 3M being a large company with seemingly endless roles, I would like to sample different technical roles and be responsible for different things - rather than continue doing the same things I had been doing during my placement year. The company perks (especially FlexiTime and working from home) should not be understated and really did boost morale.

Most of the other placement students were active socially inside and outside of the office. Lunchtimes were never dull and most IPs were very pleasant and a good laugh. My team organised the occasional lunch which was also nice, and were always up for a chat. There wasn't too much social interaction with my team outside of work, bar a Christmas meal, but that was fine as there were company-wide socials put on (such as Thursday Night Drinking Club) which filled the work-social appetite.

Unfortunately the area I lived in (Reading) was quite expensive and was tailored to more of an up-market/middle aged earners audience, which meant finding cheap places to eat and drink hard to come by. There were bars on the university campus which were cheap and full of a good crowd, but you'd need to know a Reading student in order to gain access - a minor drawback. Most things were accessible by train which is a plus - but miss the last train home and it could be a costly ride home.

3M is located in Bracknell which is certainly lacking in any Nightlife, unless you enjoy a good night out at Waitrose HQ. People organising socials, especially ones that could end up running into the early hours, tended to avoid Bracknell and aimed to organise things in nearby Reading. As not everybody lives near Reading, this was inconvenient for some people and meant they'd have to leave socials early in order to catch the last train home. As for Reading itself, the Student Union is actually a very good (and cheap!) night out, if you're under 25 that is...

The 3M Bracknell Sports & Social Club was regularly advertised throughout my year, with various leaflets and flyers landing on my desk every few months or so. There was always something to get involved with, including many different types of activities too. My personal highlight was the quiz that took place towards the end of the year.