Automation Operations Manager and Business Analyst Review

Upon joining IBM I had no clue what my job role would entail and what my team would be like. Luckily, I was placed in the most fantastic team, with the best boss and the best support. The work was not always easy or particularly fun at points, but I was given so many more stretch opportunities because of the work I had done, such as going onto two different projects to do proper delivery work, rather than just being an internal asset. Our team had a great collaborative spirit, and we would always go for coffees and even dinners together which was so great because we had so much fun inside and out of the office.

As my boss and senior colleagues got to know me more, I became a more valued asset of the team which was great because they gave me harder and more challenging work to do. Some of the feedback I received from them was just great and it made me feel like a vital part of the team.

At the start of my internship I was provided with quite a lot of support, but as I got to know IBM and our systems more I was able to work without any support. At points, I was just given tasks without much guidance, but this was so vital in helping me grow and learn more about being proactive.

I was incredibly busy most days. At more days I was working from 8am until 5pm, but sometimes I was in the office until 9pm helping on bids or planning events. I loved this though, it was probably some of my favourite moments in the office because they paid off the most.

For an unexperienced intern, I was given a lot of responsibility; I organised an event for 3,000 people, I organised training, I did massive bid work. It was great for the team to give me more responsibility as they knew I could take it on. I was not treated as though I was an intern, which was really nice.

The presentation, powerpoint and soft consulting skills I have learned from people in my team will carry me through the rest of my career. I am so much more confident in my ability to talk to senior people, and I now have so much more knowledge of a tool which is the future of the work place (cognitive automation).

Generally, the office was really fun and lively. Sometimes when everyone was on project during the week it could be very quiet, however it was still nice to work in. Although, the office was always very busy and always had something going on.

As a gap year intern, we had quarterly meetings which were set up by us and they were very fun. Sometimes it was quite hard to get a hold of your Early Professional Manager because they were so busy but it always seemed to run very smoothly.

I was provided with automation training which was very interesting and good to take up. In addition, there was training I was nominated for when available.

IBM is a great company and I would actively look to come back as a graduate after university if I could be in a team with similar people. There are so many opportunities to do within IBM that it would be great to potentially come back as a graduate.

For the fellow placement students we had quarterly meeting which was a great opportunity for us to all get together. With my colleagues in my team, we would usually go for drinks every week which was great fun and we would have quarterly meetings which was a great opportunity for wider team bonding

Moving from Scotland to London was very expensive, particularly having to live alone because I knew no one when I moved down here. However, it was really worth it as the socialising was so much fun.

Living in London, the Nightlife was so much fun and there were so many bars and clubs around the area we worked.

There were a very wide range of opportunities to do sporting and team building activities outside of work.