This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I think VWFS is a really good company to do a placement at. The offices are amazing and the company itself is huge!
From the moment you join you're given responsibilities that are the same weight as full time employees. This is an essential part of making your placement year as successful as possible.
Your managers want to make sure that you're developing as quickly and effectively as possible. Personally, I received fortnightly meetings with my manager to discuss anything that we thought was relevant.
Business is largely down to what you as an individual do and how far you want to go. Like any job, you have times where you do little - however if you make use of this time and turn it into a busy period then you will learn more and get more out of your time on placement.
I was given as much responsibility as any other employee. I've had many opportunities to really make a difference to my team's process and practices which is really cool to look back on!
My technical skills, such as using Excel and other systems, have improved dramatically over the year which will be helpful in data collection for my dissertation. Presentation and professional communication skills are also key areas that I have developed this year. I think the main skill that I have learned is actually adapting to a professional, working environment. Working 9-5 isn't easy to get used to; however now that I'm used to it I can apply it to my final year at University.
The Company
Vibrant, innovative, forward thinking and relaxed. There's always something to get involved with.
Really well, I have no complaints. We received company inductions to highlight the products and services that the company provides.
As undergraduates we received LifeSkills sessions that were aimed solely at our development. This was a really beneficial part to our year. From LinkedIn profiles and CV writing to developing a Personal Brand, all of these sessions showed how much VWFS cares about it's employees.
Subsidised Canteen
Subsidised/Company Gym
Financial Bonus
Above 25 days holiday
They're good however the graduate scheme is a bit of a let down. It only runs every 2 years, unless you want to apply for Volkswagen Group which is a different company. This is quite disappointing given that it won't be available for me the year that I graduate.
The Culture
I've met some incredible friends on this placement. All of the undergraduates are really nice, genuine people - it helps that VWFS knows what they're looking for and therefore puts likeminded individuals together.
Milton Keynes is not a student area so don't expect trebles and other drinks on the cheap. The social life is more bar orientated than club (there are only 2 clubs). Cost of living is okay but not great, however you're earning enough to cope!
Milton Keynes is not a student area so don't expect trebles and other drinks on the cheap. The social life is more bar orientated than club (there are only 2 clubs).
There are a few but if you wanted to get involved in more you can always ask.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
South East
June 2018