Procurement and Supply Chain, Fleet Team Summer Intern Review

I really enjoyed my internship at Centrica, and I believe it was an invaluable experience that has helped prepare me for my future career. I learnt a lot throughout my internship, not only about procurement and supply chain, which was the department in which I was based, but also about business as a whole, including what influences markets and how to thoroughly analyse them. I also enjoyed the nature of the tasks that I was given, as they were clearly chosen to ensure I enjoyed my placement, but at the same time I was challenged in a productive way that allowed me to develop my skill set and understanding.

I felt valued and appreciated by my colleagues, and on occasion I was asked by others outside of my direct team to complete tasks, which made me feel integral to the department. All my colleagues were also very understanding that my time was limited, and therefore I was given training to ensure I understood the tasks at hand, and was able to complete them to a high standard. This again reiterated to me that my work was valued and necessary, despite my internship lasting for just 10 weeks.

I was given plenty of support and guidance from my manager, and we had pre-arranged weekly meetings in which I was able to express any concerns and also update my manager on my progress. However, if I had any problems throughout the week it was very easy to get in contact with my manager to ask for advice or guidance on particular tasks. In addition to my direct manager, I also had a buddy who had a good understanding of my position having also previously undertaken the summer internship. This buddy system ensured that I had someone to go to with any other concerns that may have not directly related to a project, and I found this extra level of support very beneficial.

For the majority of my placement I found that I was busy enough to ensure I had something to do, and I had to manage my time and prioritise tasks to ensure every deadline was met. There were some instances where I felt I could manage a larger work load, so therefore I simply asked my manager for additional projects, and he was able to increase my workload as requested.

I was given more responsibility than I expected, as projects were handed over to me and I was required to understand them and progress them further. I was also encouraged to offer my opinion and knowledge to help assist in a number of important decisions, which again gave me a sense of responsibility. At times when I had less to do however, the nature of the additional tasks I received perhaps did not offer as much responsibility, but this was expected due to the duration of my internship, as this limited the number of large projects my manager was able to offer me when I requested additional work.

Coming from a science background, I specifically chose a business related summer internship as I wanted to increase my business knowledge in particular, whether or not it was related to my specific degree programme. However despite this, I was able to practice a number of skills that I have acquired from my studies such as data analysis, and the Excel training I was given on my internship has definitely taught me more about the software that I will be able to utilise in my degree. This internship however mainly developed my knowledge of business and procurement, and taught me the value of effective communication and work-load time management, which are all skills that are vital for any career that I pursue.

There was a clear focus on ensuring that the office environment was comfortable and relaxed for all employees, which ensured that everyone remained positive. This therefore meant that I felt comfortable in the office, and did not have any problems when approaching people to ask for advice or help when I needed it. There was also a dress-down day on a Friday, which meant that the atmosphere felt a little less corporate at the end of the week, to ensure that everyone was able to prepare for the weekend break from work.

I felt like the placement was very well organised, and my manager had clearly prepared for my arrival, including the projects he was going to involve me with. I was also expected to complete a start-of-project, mid-project and end-of-project review that was clearly organised, and it ensured that I remained on task and was able to focus on developing my areas of weakness throughout my placement. At the beginning of the placement, the induction was also thorough and by the time I actually began work, I felt comfortable in my team and also knew a number of the other interns that I was able to approach with any questions I had throughout my internship. In addition to this, the interns were also expected to give a presentation at the end of the placement, and for this we received substantial presentation training that thoroughly equipped us for the task at hand.

I felt like Centrica invested a lot of time in me as an intern, as I was able to get involved on a number of different training courses, and also it was very easy to explore other teams and departments to gain a greater understanding of the organisation as a whole. I was also given the opportunity to travel to different offices, and spend a day with a British Gas Engineer, to help me understand what happened on the customer-facing side of the organisation, and these were all valuable experiences from which I learnt a lot.

I will definitely consider future employment prospects at Centrica, and I have reached this conclusion not only based on my own experience but also from talking to other more permanent employees, as the vast majority evidently enjoy working for Centrica. In addition to this, I am aware that the organisation invests a lot in progressing new employees and developing their skill sets, through offering a variety of free training courses and opportunities to gain additional qualifications. Therefore, I believe Centrica would be a great place to work in the future, and I would definitely consider any future opportunities offered.

The team in which I was based organised a number of team-building events to ensure that the group was well integrated, and it gave people the chance to find out about the work that fellow colleagues were involved with. In addition to this there was also a number of days that enabled the interns to get to know each other, meaning that we all quickly had people to approach should we need anything. Also, as I was included in the cohort of interns based in the south, we were all given accommodation together, which was organised by Centrica, and this further improved the social aspect both in and out of work.

As the accommodation was paid for by Centrica, this greatly improved the cost of living. The area was slightly more expensive than what I am used to at University as it was just outside of London, however with it being a paid internship this meant that it was very affordable to both live and socialise. In addition to this, Centrica also ran free shuttle-buses between offices, and the company canteen was subsidised, meaning that the pricing of everything at work was reasonable.

The area in which I worked had a good nightlife, despite the cost of some of the clubs and taxis being more expensive that what I am used to. It was actually more common that the group of interns socialised at the accommodation together, as this was a more convenient and easier option.

Outside of work the interns were expected to get involved with a charity challenge, and we were each given a personal target of raising £200 for the charity Shelter, which Centrica then matched. This again introduced me to a new group of people and it offered an opportunity to be creative. In addition to this however, I did not get involved with many other out-of-work activities, however I am aware that there are other opportunities to get involved with outside of work.