Fleet Business Performance Undergraduate Review

I have really enjoyed my placement at VWFS, it has absolutely flown by! I have had the opportunity to meet so many new people, and been given a lot more responsibility than I ever imagined. The rotational format of my placement was definitely beneficial for me, as it allowed me to essentially complete 4 smaller placements across the year in different teams – allowing me develop skills in different areas.

I felt very valued throughout my time at VWFS; I was given large amounts of responsibility and trust from the very beginning, with regards to projects set by senior management, and tasks for other areas in the department. I have received lots of feedback on my performance, and have always been shown gratitude for my work.

From day one my line manager was very supportive, and made me feel comfortable with asking questions about anything and everything. You have monthly one-to-one meetings with your line manage where you discuss things that have gone on in the past month, upcoming things, and any issues that may have arisen.

This ranged for me due to the rotational aspect. At the beginning it was quite slow, whilst waiting for access, however after a month or so the fleet undergrads received a group project to work on so this quickly filled my time. Then when I moved into my second rotation, the work was quickly stepped up and this continued for the remaining time of my placement, along with taking on an additional senior management project which required regular work alongside my daily tasks in each rotation.

I was given a lot more responsibility than I ever imagined I’d have been given. The fleet undergrads were given a project that initially started as a small thing within the department; however the importance of the topic grew considerably and we found ourselves presenting training sessions to all areas of the business. Furthermore, I was able to work alongside senior management on an international project, so working closely and preparing work for HQ in Germany on a European task.

I have learnt so much, and have had the chance to gain and improve upon my current skills within VWFS. When I started I had very little knowledge of Microsoft excel and many other pieces of software, however over the year I have been able to gain a strong understanding due to everyday use that will be very beneficial to me in the future. Also, before I started my placement I lacked confidence in public speaking and delivering presentations, however throughout the year I have delivered multiple to large varieties to people without any issues, so I think my skills relating to this have been massively developed.

The office atmosphere at VWFS is very friendly and welcoming. Everyone was more than happy to help you with anything you may need regardless of if you’re in the same department or not. Although deadlines must be met, the general atmosphere was quite relaxed, and you’re trusted to get on with your work and meet each deadline.

My placement was very well organised, I think this was due to the 4 different rotations, so every time I changed into a new team the Team Leader/ Manager would always have a plan of what they wanted me to do throughout my time in that team so my role was always clear.

There is an online portal with training that can be completed in your spare time, for example; courses on Microsoft excel for a verity of different levels. The Learning and Development team ran workshops almost every month for all the undergrads, these included networking skills or how to create the best Linked In profile. Additionally, there are loads of internal training courses that you can book onto to help with your development.

I have really enjoyed my placement at VWFS and could definitely see myself working here in the future if an appropriate opportunity arose. The benefits that the company offer, and the type of working culture within it is one that is definitely very positive in my opinion, it has been a very good place to work.

Although it isn’t a student city so isn’t as lively as being at University there are still places to go out. Most of the undergrads live together in small groups so there have been many nights out with the other VWFS undergrads which are good fun, and nights out or meals with your team/ department on various different occasions.

I think the cost of living and socialising in Milton Keynes is quite reasonable considering it’s so close to London. If you have a car you will save a lot of money as taxis are quite expensive compared to what you’d pay at uni. Rent is similar to what you might pay at uni but finding housing is much more difficult as most properties come unfurnished and there are less options.

As previously mentioned, as there is no university in Milton Keynes there aren’t student nights like you’d be used to and loads of options with regards of places to go out. However, there are still a few clubs, and loads of different bars in different places around Milton Keynes, but these are quite expensive.

Depending on what interests you there are lots of different activities to get involved with; there’s sports leagues around MK to join, such as football or netball. The undergraduates have the opportunity to get involved a local mentoring programme at a nearby school where you are assigned a student to mentor throughout the year.