Future Model Planning Support Intern Review

My placement was really enjoyable as I was given a wide range of tasks. The placement also taught me things that i would not have learned at University, such as how to operate within a business, how to communicate with different people depending on their position in the company e.g. the assembly director

I felt very valued by colleagues, when they communciated with me, they always did with respect. Also, I was given important tasks/projects during my placement so that made me valued and appreciated among my colleagues.

I was constantly given support by my manager throughout my placement year. We had a regular one to one meeting every two weeks which enabled us to discuss my projects as well as my performance every month or two. My manager always gave me feedback on the work I was doing. Therefore, I constantly knew what I was doing well and what I could improve upon.

For the majority of my placement I was quite busy on a day to day basis. There were small periods of my placement where I did not have many tasks, however, this did allow me to ensure my University logbook and other documents were up to date. Being busy for the majority of the placement has resulted in me learning a lot which I can take back to University.

I feel I was given a lot of responsibility during my placement. I was project leader for a couple of projects which were important to the future success of the company. Therefore, this provided me with an extra incentive as I wasn't taking on a meaningless project to keep me busy.

The skills I have developed during my placement are definitely skills for life. My project management skills have probably benefitted the most during the year. These skills will definitely be transferrable to my final two years at University as I now understand the importance of planning ahead. My communication skills have also improved as I now feel more comfortable presenting in front of colleagues who are important in the business and large groups of people.

I sat in two different offices during my placement and the atmosphere was very good in both of them. In the office I was able to have a laugh with colleagues whilst also being able to concentrate and get work done. Therefore, I believe the balance in the office was very good.

My placement was extremely well organised. When receiving my contract I was provided with an intern handbook which provided me with information on accomodation, what to expect on my first day etc. When I arrived at the company, I already had a laptop and phone allocated to me and there was a handover with the intern before me so they could get me up to speed.

In terms of personal training I didn't have any during my placement. However, in terms of development, the company invested a lot of time with me. By giving me projects/tasks, I was able to develop key skills and improve day by day which meant I was able to complete tasks to a high level.

I believe future employment prospects are very good within the BMW Group. I will definitely be applying for a graduate position when I graduate from University. I also believe the network I have built up throughout the year will put me in a strong position for when I do apply.

There was a very good social scene between placement students. There was an intern social every Thursday which provided us with a great opportunity to meet other interns and build up a better network in the company. There was also a good social scene with other colleagues as my department organised a few social events during the year.

The cost of living in my area was quite expensive. I paid £500 a month for a room which I thought was quite expensive, however there were more expensive rooms in the area. For socialising, there were cheap bars within the city centre so socialising in certain areas was cheap.

The nightlife within Oxford is great. With two Universities nearby there is a definitely a student atmosphere on nights out which makes the area more enjoyable.

Yes there was some opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work. Events such as go karting and paintballing were organised by other interns as something additional to do. German students also regularly visited different parts of the country which all interns were invited to. Also, social events were regularly organised as something extra to be involved in.