Business Planning and Operations Review

My placement year at Disney was so much more than I had expected. I was very fortunate to be offered a role in the Consumer Products Finance team, where I was given numerous opportunities and responsibilities. I learnt so much more than I ever thought possible in just 12 months, and I know it will be hugely beneficial in my final year at university and future career.

Throughout my year at Disney I never once felt like I was "just an intern". The managers and director in my team (and in other departments) valued my input and were always grateful for any work I had done for them. Whenever I was in meetings they would always ask about my workload and whether I was being given too many responsibilities, extending deadlines on work to help me get everything done.

My team were always happy to help with any questions that I had, taking the time to sit down and explain what/why I was doing the task I was given. They always made sure to give me as many different tasks as possible, and I learnt a huge amount throughout the year, not just in terms of my role but also learning how the other functions of the business operate as well.

In the first couple of months while I was still getting a handle on my role I was not hugely busy, but this was really helpful in terms of giving me time to practise on the new systems and get my head around some of my key responsibilities. During key periods (e.g. Budget, Strat Plan, Forecast) I was definitely at my busiest, but my team never once asked me to stay late, and always made sure that I was not working overtime.

I was given many big responsibilities which, prior to starting my placement, I wouldn't have expected interns to have been given the opportunity to take on. I was involved in several meetings, including meeting and conference calls with external licensees, and was always given credit for any work that I had done personally.

I have learnt untold amounts over the past year, not just about the Finance role within the Walt Disney Company, but I have also gained a lot more knowledge in terms of general accounting. Also, my Microsoft Excel skills (as well as my knowledge of other IT systems) have improved considerably. When I first started I thought that I had been fairly well trained on Excel, but a year later I now know that was not the case, as I have learnt so much since which I know will be a great help in any future Finance career.

One of the most important parts of my placement that contributed to making it an amazing experience, was the social atmosphere within the office. Interns were never treated as "just interns", and managers, directors and VPs of all ages would all strike up conversation and ask you how you were doing. Birthdays and Christmas were always celebrated, and there was always a happy and friendly morale in the office.

The placement was well organised, and we were given two weeks of handover from the prior intern to ensure that we had enough training on the systems and responsibilities before we were thrown into the deep end and left on our own.

There were several opportunities throughout the year to further my knowledge, whether it be internal or external speakers giving talks on the wider world of Finance and the Entertainment industry as a whole. I was also given the opportunity to go through a Mock interview process with an external recruiter which was a hugely beneficial process as it meant that my CV was up to date, and I improved my answers for both Finance and Competency based interview questions.

I would love to return to Disney after graduation if there is a suitable role available for me to apply for. Unfortunately there are no specific graduate jobs/schemes so it is simply the luck of whether there is a vacancy at the time of graduation.

With over 150 other interns (all placement interns 20-22yrs) there was a great social scene, and we spent a lot of time together in London over the year. A group of us even travelled to Paris and went to Disneyland for a weekend, thanks to the complimentary tickets that our managers gave us!

I was lucky enough to be living at home, so did not have to pay any rent for the year. Socialising was always an expensive affair, but that was to be expected in London.

Being in London there were many opportunities to experience the nightlife, and there were several pubs and bars around the office which we would often go to on a Friday evening to celebrate the end of another week, not just interns but also managers/directors too.

There were several opportunities to get involved in activities outside of the office, whether it be sports (e.g. Football/Triathlon/Tough Mudder) or volunteering at events.