Analyst Review

I enjoyed my placement at Centrica very much. The placement had three great aspects. Firstly, the role which gave me the opportunity to learn a lot about finance and develop my personal skills. Secondly, there were many training opportunities, such as Excel training and presentation training. Finally, the summer placement charity challenge which was an opportunity to meet other placement students and raise money for a great cause.

I was made to feel a valued member of the team from the beginning of my placement. Everyone that I met during my ten weeks was very approachable and happy to talk to me. The projects that I was given gave me the opportunity to add value and my colleagues were very supportive in letting me know that I had added value.

I was given support and guidance by management and my supervisor to a great extent. My line manager and other members of my team were very patient and supportive when helping me to understand the more technical finance things. I also felt that the finance graduate talent board were very approachable and happy to help when I wanted to ask for guidance.

At the beginning of my placement I was not that busy on a daily basis. This was understandable as to be given all of my projects at once would have been overwhelming. This quieter period at the beginning gave me the opportunity to learn more about Centrica and finance through my own research and networking. As the placement progressed I was given more to do and my days became pretty busy. Throughout the ten weeks we also had the charity placement challenge to work on, giving us something to do in less busy periods.

During my placement I was given a fair amount of responsibility. At the beginning I observed how to complete certain weekly tasks and was then given the responsibility to complete these without supervision for the rest of my placement. I was also given full ownership of my projects something which made me feel valued.

The skills that I have developed and the training received will greatly assist in my degree studies and beyond. This placement has helped me to build on my confidence in a business environment immensely, it has also helped me to develop my financial knowledge and understanding and has helped with technical skills such as Excel. The presentation training that we were given was brilliant.

I was based in the Windsor office during my ten weeks. I felt that the general atmosphere in my office was a nice atmosphere to work in. There were a few events which helped to make it a positive working environment, such as a ground floor rounders tournament and the Windsor annual BBQ.

The overall placement was well organised and set up. A key part of the organisation was the accommodation that was provided for us. This contributed significantly to the good experience as living with other interns allowed us to get to know each other better and hear about other people’s roles and experiences. The only issue with the accommodation was that a 20 minute drive from work. Fortunately for me this was not an issue as I had a car and could give others a lift however not everyone could find a lift and therefore had a much longer and more expensive journey to work via the bus or uber.

Centrica have definitely invested a lot of time and money in our personal training and development. This is through a team building development day, charity challenge, presentation training, excel training. We were also given the opportunity to visit other locations, such as offices or power sites across the country. They also provided stream specific personal development opportunities, such as a financial showcase, allowing us to meet senior leaders to hear about their careers and ask them any questions.

Future employment prospects within Centrica are very appealing. During our placement we were given a buddy who was on the grad scheme. Our buddy and also other grads around us were very helpful in providing information and insight into the grad scheme. Through speaking to colleagues throughout the organisation I have learnt that Centrica is a great place to work.

There was a good social scene amongst interns. This was greatly helped by the fact that we were all living together. There was also a great social scene amongst the graduates and they were very welcoming. We had the opportunity to go to the races a few times and for drinks after work.

The cost of living and socialising in the area was not too expensive if you didn’t have to catch public transport. The washing facilities at the Royal Holloway were fairly expensive, but this is not too different from university. There are many options on socialising with London so close. You could have a fairly cheap night if you knew where to go out.

The nightlife in Egham was non-existent. There were a few pubs but little else. There are a few clubs in Windsor or Maidenhead however these are nothing special. The benefit of Egham is that you can get the train into London very easily for a night out if you wanted.

There were a few opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. The charity project was one of these. It allowed us to come up with our own activities which could also raise money for charity, such as a relay run from the Windsor office to the London office or a charity golf evening. There was also the opportunity, dependant on where your team was based to get involved with floor or team events, such as a rounders tournament or five-a-side football.