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 really enjoyed the internship and I believe it was well organised. I found that I was encouraged to be involved in the social aspect of the internship with both other interns and graduates. By building relationships with the interns and graduates, I was able to develop a social circle fairly quickly within a new city. The internship allowed me to work closely with my team but also speak with others who work in different areas of the business and allowed me to get a better understanding of the company.
I was welcomed by the team I worked with and was given tasks to work on that made me feel that I contributed to the company. I was given to the opportunity to reach out to other people in the business to learn what their roles involve and everyone was happy to spend time with me which made me feel valued.
My manager was incredibly supportive from the beginning of the internship. I met with him in weekly 1-2-1 meeting where all aspects of the internship where discussed. Prior to my arrival, he had evidently taken time to plan out my internship and organised with other teams for me to have to opportunity to contribute to other parts of the company. I really appreciated this as it allowed me to build the relationships within the company. As he had clearly organised my time within the business, I felt valued and appreciated.
I found myself fairly busy most days. I had daily tasks to complete and then I worked on longer projects so the work load did vary depending on the project. Some projects had strict deadlines to met and therefore I was busier during those points of the internship.
I was surprised at the amount of responsibility given during my internship. I was encouraged to take on new challenges and develop my practical knowledge. I was given tasks and responsibilities at a similar level of others in team and was fully supported while doing so.
I was able to put the knowledge I have gained in a class room environment into a practical setting. I was also able to talk to my colleagues and listen to their experience in moving from university to the work place.
The Company
The general atmosphere in the office was friendly and welcoming. There is an environment were you can chat to others. It was an atmosphere in which there was no such thing as a stupid question. The offices are clean and spacious which, in my opinion, helps creating a positive work environment. There is also free tea and coffee etc. which is a great bonus.
I found that the internship was well-organised. I was working with different people and given different tasks to complete. I believe that my manager was proactive in organising my internship to ensure that I achieved the most during my time here. There was also some flexibility which allowed me to work with other teams..
I had a weekly email updates and sessions focusing on one development point each week. The weekly email included articles which allowed me to reflect and gain on the development point and this was reinforced by a session with other interns that normally involved guest speakers from a part of the business.
Flexi Time
Subsidised/Company Gym
Company Parties/Events
Healthcare/Dental
There has been a lot of changes within the business recently and with that it means it is an exciting place to work. There are graduates jobs available but there has been little talk about when or if they will be offered to the interns.
The Culture
I was provided with a serviced apartment in the centre of Edinburgh during the internship and with that I was able to socialise with interns who also lived in the apartments. There is a Young Person Development Network within the business which organises social events. Current graduates were incredibly friendly and encouraged the interns to participate in social events.
I was provided with a serviced apartment in the centre of Edinburgh during the internship. I was also living in Edinburgh during the fringe festival which meant that socialising could be expensive but there were many shows etc that are free so you can decide how much you spend.
There was a lot of nightlife.
There were a lot of opportunities to do things outwith work. There was a good work life balance within the business and socialising with others was encouraged.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Scotland
August 2018