IBM Cloud Technical Specialist Review

by IBM

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.5/5

The Role

3.9
The Company

3.8
The Culture

2.4

The Role

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

I have really enjoyed my time at IBM! I have been given real responsibilities that have grown over the year that I have been here due to my confidence being built up. I have gained a real insight into large deals and been able to contribute my skills to these deals.

4/5

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

I have felt very valued by my colleagues here at IBM. I always feel as though my opinion is listened to and I feel confortable asking questions (even those that may seem silly to me). My colleagues trust me to complete challenging tasks which is also a very rewarding feeling.

5/5

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

At IBM I have 2 managers - my task manager responsible for my day to day tasks and my EPM, the manager responsible for my wellbeing. I have found that I am not always able to talk to my task manager about everything and it is challenging with my EPM not being based in the same location as me.

3/5

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

My tasks have varied from day to day. Some days I will have a very busy day and I will have to manage my time effectively in order to get everything one. Other days are a lot quieter which can sometimes lead to boredom but it is also an opportunity to catch up on other less important work and education.

3/5

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

I have been trusted with a lot of responsibility whilst at IBM. I have been fully integrated to the team and treated with the same responsibilities as my colleagues, some of who have been here for multiple years. I have enjoyed having this level of responsibility as I feel I have grown a lot because of it.

4/5

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

As a Computer Science student, my year at IBM has been invaluable. It has been a space for me to develop my programming skills but also learn about the other technical aspects including cloud and security. I was given a great handover and the skills that I have gained will be skills I will keep with me for life.

5/5

The Company

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

I have been lucky to be placed in a team where we all come into the office everyday. This has been great because I have been able to learn more from my peers and create better releationships with the colleagues that I work with everyday. The other parts of the office are quite quiet but it's always busy in my area.

4/5

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

The placement scheme has been set up very well. I received many emails before I joined and this resulted in me feeling very settled and ready to join IBM. I also had a 2 day induction which allowed me to meet more of my peers and feel even more settled.

5/5

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

There is plenty of education to do online free of charge which is a great thing to take advantage of. I have been able to learn about different areas of the company and gain widely recognised badges for my learning. However, I was unable to go on an education trip to Madrid with the rest of my colleagues as I am an intern which was a shame.

3/5

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

National Travel

Company Parties/Events

3/5

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

As I have had a great year at IBM, I have just applied for their graduate scheme. We are able to do this now as interns through the 'Intern2Grad' scheme which allows us to gain exposure and even potentially a job before starting final year of university. There are many areas to apply to and I am excited to see if I get placed anywhere.

5/5

The Culture

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

I am based in Warwick where there have only been four interns so the social scene hasn't been the best. We have however been a very tight group of interns and it has been nice to get to know everyone so well. The London office has a better social scene as there are more interns based there.

3/5

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

The living costs have been quite reasonable. I communte in easily and live with other non-IBM interns so I have been able to make the most of the area. Most of the other interns commuted from home so I don't see many of them outside of the office (but we do sometimes go out after work is finished).

3/5

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

Although quite close to Birmingham, it is quite hard to get there so I am more likely to go out in Leamington. There are only a couple of clubs so I am more likely to go to a bar instead. This isn't necessarially a bad thing but something that I have had to get used to as I am from Liverpool.

2/5

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

Team socials happen about once every month. We will usually go to the pub or do an activity such as badminton. Apart from that, I have gone and explored the surrounding areas with my non-IBM housemates. There is plenty to do, but you may need a car to do some of it.

3/5

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