New Development Undergraduate Review

I really enjoyed it hence the 8/10 score, the placement with VWFS gives you a good mix between autonomy and taking on specific pieces of work to help you grow. I personally love working within the automotive industry so it was good to get an insight into the financial services side of things.

If in your role you can bring something to the table in your role then colleagues will value you. Once you have a bit of visibility with other staff members then you are actively included and the go to person for that specific type of query which is good because it makes you feel important.

You are really supported, my role was split between two teams so luckily I had double the amount of support which was good. Receiving feedback is always important because it helps you to develop as a person. My line-manager scheduled regular 1-2-1s with me so she could go over my workload for the week and ensure that I was on track with my work.

This is to be expected but at the start not so much, VWFS give you time to settle in, gain access to certain systems and learn about what they do as a company. But slowly you start taking on responsibilities and before you know it you will always have something to be getting on with.

On one side of my role I had quite a bit to do, I was responsible for creating a document which is to be used by the whole retailer network which had the campaign detail for the volume brands. This needed to be 100% accurate, no room for error or mistakes which is quite scary but also made me feel valued that the company would trust me with something like this.

Crucial skills such as Time management, Flexibility, Co-operation and Teamwork will definitely assist me with my degree and my future career because I have experienced real life application of these skills. For example with the skill time management, I will now be able to do my assignments in a more timely manner and not wait until the last minute to hand it in. I will be attending training courses about maximising my personal influence which will assist me with job interviews too.

Quite good for an office, everyone is really friendly. People here are approachable, their job title doesn't define who they are. You can have a chat with someone at board member level at the vending machines. I have been at companies where somewhere those who are really senior don't even look at you but at VWFS that isn't the case.

There are lots of opportunities at Volkswagen Financial Services for undergraduates to be involved in. It is what you make it and your line manager should support you with what you want to do as long as you justify yourself. Our placement scheme had regular catch ups with the Learning and Development team to teach us things such as Networking, Tax advice and inform us about the type of learner we are.

VWFS invest a lot in its people - there are a wide range of courses you can do either face to face or at your desk. All you need is your line manager's approval and you're good to go. You may not qualify for all the training as some may be for Managers only however there is still plenty you can do at undergrad level.

The company is growing and growing so the teams within it are adapting and changing so new roles are being developed and created. VWFS have just created a graduate scheme too which is good, it runs every two years though and only 5 people can be hired as graduates but I would apply for the scheme.

We regularly scheduled nights out with each other, social drinks in a beer garden, mini golf that sort of thing. It depends on your cohort but for the majority, everyone is really nice, we all got on with each other therefore overall I would say the social scene was really good.

Milton Keynes is not an area for young students, I would say Milton Keynes is more for 28 year olds who are starting families. There aren't many cheap places to eat or drink, there is a Wetherspoon's which is affordable. I lived in MK so cost of living didn't apply to me but my undergrad friends told me rent and bills was about £450 per month.

VWFS are based in Milton Keynes, the nightlife here isn't that great. They have one good club called Pink Punters but seeing as it is the only place to go, it can be really rammed so you don't get much out of going. They have some bars but it is mainly for middle aged people, not a place for young students. However there are good transport links to London so you can go out there.

Personally apart from CSR activities, there wasn't that much to do. You could organise something within your department e.g. Running Club, Netball but it is down to you if you want to do that. I got involved with CSR initiatives and that was fun because you get to know new people.