HSES Summer Intern Review

I really enjoyed my work here at Centrica. I was very quickly welcomed into the team and my manager saw it as very important that I develop over the course of the placement. This meant I was able to go and visit some of Centrica’s assets and attend many events in and around the Windsor office. I felt like much of my work was valuable to the business and shall be used in the coming years.

My colleagues often showed great appreciation for my efforts and it was encouraging to receive praise on several occasions. Centrica has a very inclusive culture and I was quickly made to feel like a valuable member of the company and the team. The work that I have been provided with was meaningful and will be used over the coming years by HSES.

My manager took quite a hands-off approach to my work. I liked this very much as rather than spoon feeding me the project he allowed me to reach conclusions myself and take the initiative with meeting important stakeholders. That being said, when I was struggling or stuck, my line manager was very helpful and always willing to set aside time to help. I also had a buddy as part of the buddy system but only met my buddy once and didn’t find this to be a useful or needed part of the placement.

The amount of work I had to do on this placement really varied. Towards the start of the placement I was given time to settle in, research the business and get to know the team. Much of my work involved liaising with stakeholders and this meant that at times I was waiting for them to send me feedback or information. That being said, for the vast majority of the time I had plenty of work and was responsible for managing my time effectively.

I was given a reasonable amount of responsibility on this placement. I was aware of set deadlines for the department and my input was essential in making sure work was ready in time for these targets. The work I was doing was applicable to the entire business and being driven by the CEO. That being said, it felt like I had to have managerial input much of the time for the less obvious decisions as I didn’t have the right level of expertise.

It will really change my perspective of the work I'm doing at university. The work here is often very focused on the reason behind something, whereas my Physics degree is often quite abstract and theoretical so this placement will encourage me to try and find more meaning in the work I'm doing. I have my final year project this year so this placement will help with time management, organisation and working with others surrounding this.

The general atmosphere in the office was relaxed but hard working if that makes sense. Many people would have conversations across the office and I had no issues speaking up. At the same time, it was clear everyone was completing their work and working to deadlines. Perks such as free fruit provide a healthy vibe.

My general comment would be that this placement was set up well. There was work for me to be getting on with right from the start and there was plenty of help and assistance available where required. The buddy system is the only part which I think was not effective; however, this was not required in my opinion. General setup was good, minibuses for development days was appreciated. Could consider providing a daily minibus service to RHUL in future years?

Centrica invested in me a good amount. They paid my expenses for two trips to Centrica assets and they also invested in a number of development days to develop presentation skills and teamwork skills. Much of the culture at Centrica is centred around having a positive work environment and so they are careful to track your progress and ensure you are developing well.

My future employment prospects with Centrica are positive. I do not yet know whether or not I have a place on the graduate programme but they made it very clear from the outset that all suitable candidates would be offered a place. I hope to continue working here, so look forward to finding out the talent manager’s decision.

Centrica housed many of the interns in Royal Holloway University of London which was very good from a social point of view. This meant that from the start we were living with the other interns and therefore got to know everyone very well. There were also a couple of meals put on by my team to allow us to get to know our team better.

Accommodation was paid for by Centrica which was very helpful. The area itself was Egham and as it was on the outskirts of London, unexpectedly things were fairly expensive. There were a number of pubs in the area as well as clubs a short taxi ride away. Other things like Thorpe Park, Windsor Castle, etc. were close and a fun day out.

There were a number of pubs in the local area which was good if one just wanted a drink. In terms of clubs there are clubs in Windsor which is fairly close. These weren’t always the busiest of places. And to be honest we only tried them a few times, often preferring to just remain in the flat and have more of a social, relaxed drink.

There were a few opportunities. So with Centrica, there is a group who play football every week which all interns could get involved with. As we were living with the other interns on a university campus, I felt like there was a number of things to get involved with, such as tennis, badminton, table tennis, etc.