CIS Data Service Support Review

I really enjoyed the work that I have been involved in throughout my placement year as there has been a variety of roles/ projects available to learn more about the company. My colleagues made the work life enjoyable as they was all friendly and approachable, which made it far easier to fit into my role.

Ever since my first day as an intern I felt valued as if I was a full time employee. Not once was I looked down on as a lesser due to being an intern and I felt as if I was always being treated equally to the other employees, which made me feel important and valued.

During the first two weeks of my placement I had a handover period with the previous intern, whereby I was mentored on my job role. My Task Manager was available to provide further guidance if needed, but once I had understood my job role, my manager stepped back to give me more independence and to give myself more responsibilities. Support was always there if needed.

At the beginning I had a small workload as I was still understanding the mechanics behind the processes. As time progressed, I was taking on more responsibilities and branched out into another role part time to gain wider experience on the Account. Since then I have been very busy on a daily basis, but still working with a manageable workload.

I was treated as a full time employee, so I was responsible for fulfilling my job role as a minimum. I would always look to take on more responsibility where possible, and there was plenty of opportunities to do this. If your role was experiencing a quite moment, there was the opportunity to take on more responsibility else where.

I believe the skills I have developed during my placement year will certainly be used going forward, both during my degree and afterwards. The professional experience and interpersonal skills I have developed during my internship will enhance my future employment/ career performance, and I am sure they will assist my degree completion.

It was a professional environment as everyone had a role to fulfill, nevertheless everyone was very friendly and approachable. The majority of people I pass in the office would be greeted with a smile/ acknowledgement as you would quickly get to know most people - this is an advantage of a "small" office.

The placement year was exceptionally well organized, from my very first day being introduced to the team, having already been set up with the necessary laptop/ work equipment., all the way through to the 3, 6, 12 month reviews with the Early Professional Manager who would ensure you get the most out of your internship.

I have been taught numerous different skills, both technically using the work equipment and professionally in terms of improving presentation skills etc. The Early Professional Manager would devote a few days for the interns in different location to meet each other and develop our presentation skills during these days. We also have access to an online learning tool which allows us to develop our knowledge/ experience in any other worldwide industry.

There appears to be a well run graduate scheme, giving interns a solid foundation to aim for. The graduate schemes offer roles within different backgrounds, such as technology, business or finance, which makes this attractive for the majority of interns. The reputation of the business makes future employment here very attractive.

There is a free drinks event every quarter which the majority of the account attends. This gives you a good opportunity to network and meet new people. There is also a weekly football club at the local 5-a-side pitches which is a great opportunity to get to know more people outside of work.

Cost of living was reasonable and affordable. The interns could socialize in the city center or visit nearby cities. There was always the option to socialize, whether that be bowling, pub quiz, drinks in town, shopping etc. Based on the salary, the cost of living was affordable and very reasonable.

There are a few night clubs in the city center which are worth visiting briefly.. but the bars/ pubs make up for this, especially given how cheap certain places are. There is an easily accessible train to Manchester or Liverpool which is always a good option to visit somewhere new.

There was regular events going on throughout the year, such as a Divali event near December which was celebrated by the whole account. There was also a summer BBQ at one of the nearby hotels which was nice to meet new people and play sport. There is also a football club to join that is played by the account on a weekly basis.