Assistant Solutions Developer Review

I have enjoyed my placement immensely. Working on a brand new product built with modern technologies in a company that is developing at a fast rate means that there has never been a dull day.

Working on a small team means that everyone is an important part of the team, regardless of whether they are a placement or not. Many of the staff were once placements which means that placements are valued as a key part of the business.

I had a lot of support, if I had questions there was always someone available to ask. My work was reviewed by others and much of it reviewed by the director of development who would give feedback so I could go back and improve it.

I always had work to be doing, and never found myself working on “throwaway” projects. Everything was an important part of the product.

I was given a lot of responsibility when implementing new features, with the freedom to make decisions on aspects of how they should work. I also worked on a separate project we were creating for another company, with a lot of responsibility to design and implement a large feature.

The skills I have used and developed could not be more relevant to my degree, the work is exactly as described on the job website. All the technologies I have used could be applied to other jobs.

The atmosphere was positive and collaborative. A few months into my placement we moved into a new office (one minute away from the first) with an open plan design which increased collaboration between departments. This makes everyone feel like they are working in a cohesive team with a real effect on the company.

The company has a strong focus on placements as a key part of the business. After a few weeks of training on many aspects of the business we were inducted into our departments where we would spend the rest of the placement. This meant I felt that I had a good understanding of the business and was ready to carry out my role to the best of my abilities.

My work was reviewed by my manager and coworkers which meant that I was always developing. There were also training sessions held throughout the year for all employees and personal reviews to help develop staff including placements.

Many staff were once placements, and have advanced to significant roles in the company. For example the director of development was a placement as well as other senior developers.

Yes, most people lived in Oxford and socialised often.

The cost of living in the area is generally low. High Wycombe, Oxford and Maidenhead are nearby so there are lots of options to live in an area that suits your price range.

There are regular activities held throughout the year.