IT Service Desk Analyst Undergraduate Review

There are parts that I enjoyed and didn't enjoy. I enjoyed working for the company as it is a good company to work for, I enjoyed working with my colleagues. However I didn't enjoy the job role as after my initial training I have just been left to answer phone calls for a year with nothing else being included.

This is a difficult one to rate as I felt valued by the colleagues in the same position as me as a Service Desk Analyst and by some individuals in the 2nd line support teams who knew I was an undergraduate. However I didn't feel valued by IT management as the majority of them didn't make an effort to get to know me and the rest didn't even speak to me during my time at VWFS.

This has to be rated 5/10 as I get on very well with my direct line manager and he is supportive and a very fair manager. So from him I have received much support and guidance as I know a lot of my grievances with the role have nothing to do with him. However as mentioned in the previous question, I received basically no support at all from the rest of IT management.

From memory as an estimate from stats I've seen, I'm taking on average 35-50 calls a day on the IT Service Desk and expected to have the queue I'm working at 0 for the end of the day. So I was constantly very busy, the spare time I had when the calls were quiet or the queues were low was focused on my placement assignment and log books.

More or less none. The only responsibility I had was to work the incident queues and answer phone calls fixing IT issues which are all monitored by Service Desk management anyway. Other than that I had nothing except for a 1 off task of creating some LWI's for the team which were reviewed before being used anyway.

There is only 1 part of this placement which related to my degree and that is ITIL. I'd learnt the theoretical knowledge of ITIL during the first 2 years of university and this placement has given me the practical skills. I wouldn't say I've learnt more knowledge but I've learnt the practical side. It will assist me in job searching after university due to having practical experience but I definitely don't want to work in this part of IT, I am certain I don't wish to work in 1st line support again.

It was a good atmosphere generally, I had a very good working relationship with my colleagues and we were always cracking jokes and having a laugh. This made working together very easy as I got on very well with everyone else in my team and the other teams around me.

It's hard to fault the organisation of the placement. It is very well run, scheduled and organised. HR do a very good job of making sure the whole placement runs smoothly. They schedule activities for undergraduates and make sure we get involved with the company. Nothing to complain about regarding the organisation at all.

Two sides for this answer, in terms of the IT department giving me personal training and development then the rating for this question would be 3/10 as apart from my initial training I have received nothing else. It took me 5 months of asking just to get them to allow me to have an overview with a different IT team. In terms of the company overall giving me personal training and development then I'd rate it 9/10. VWFS really do care about their undergraduate scheme as a whole and although the life skills sessions they put on aren't necessarily useful, I appreciate the effort they put in.

If the company was based in a different area then I would seriously consider coming back but in a different job role. The reason I wouldn't come back is because I strongly dislike living in Milton Keynes and wouldn't like to commute far either. I don't like living in this area and I'd also never come back to the job role I'm in now, I would for a different 2nd line role in IT but not Service Desk.

There was a very good social scene, I did a lot of activities with my IT colleagues including pub quizzes, playing football, going to the pub and playing badminton every Wednesday. I also played for a local football team with several VWFS colleagues and went to the gym several times with them also. With the undergraduates there we many nights out and parties etc. as well.

Milton Keynes is incredibly expensive to live and socialise in. It's gotten to the point where I don't go on nights out anymore because of how expensive it is, £4.90 for a bottle of corona? No thanks. The cost of living is also incredibly high, I rent a very small 2 bedroom apartment with my housemate, no garden or porch etc. and it's £875 a month...

There are numerous bars in Milton Keynes but they are very expensive, there is only 1 club and that is a club called Pinks which is out in the countryside almost, it's also expensive there. The nightlife is terrible compared to most cities. The only reason it's not a 1/10 is because there are many good pubs close by in Newport Pagnell and because Milton Keynes has a great selection of restaurants.

There are many opportunities to get involved in other activities. I joined a local gym and go with some of my work colleagues, I joined a local football team in Milton Keynes called Tattenhoe FC and play with them 2-3 times a week including training. I also play badminton with work every Wednesday. One thing Milton Keynes is good for in activities outside of work.