Communications Assistant Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my year as a communications assistant at Groupe Renault UK. There was not a single day that dragged and the role was well suited for me. My team were very friendly and I instantly felt welcomed. Working in the automotive industry was also exciting and I massively enjoyed organising and attending events throughout the year.

I did feel valued by my colleagues throughout the year as I was trusted with important jobs that made an impact to the performance of the team. Furthermore, I would often receive thanks and praise for the work I had done which made me feel like a valuable member of the team.

I believe I received a decent level of support and guidance throughout the year. I went through a period of having no manager due to changes being made to the work force. This led me to experience a period where I did not receive as much guidance however with the introduction of a new manager this support rose.

On the whole I was very busy on a day-to-day basis. There was many important product launches throughout the year and this combined with a understaffed team meant that there was always things to be doing. I believe this was a good thing as it made the job enjoyable however there were times where I felt overwhelmed.

I was given a good level of responsibility throughout my placement and was trusted to do more and more as the year went on. I was trusted to make decisions as well as support the team in other areas of work such as co-ordination events. I was also trusted to represent the company at different events in front of both the public and journalists.

I believe the skills I have developed will put me in good stead for my studies next year as I have developed and improved numerous transferable skills. Having worked within the PR department with many tight deadlines I have been able to work on my planning and time management skills which I can use to manage my workload and time.

The general atmosphere of the office is good with the majority of people making it a happy and enjoyable place to work. People are friendly and are happy to help with various questions. However, due to the high demand on success within a difficult industry people often have a high workload and many people seem to struggle with stress. Another criticism is that the office is not particularly social outside of working hours

I believe organisation of the work placement scheme is good. You have many introductions when you join and are introduced to the company professionally. Handover period is a good way to learn about the role from someone in a similar position and helped me pick it up quickly. Overall I would say it is good.

I believe there is a good level of development with regards to a gentle progression in the levels of responsibility however I would say this is an area which could be improved. I don't believe there is a great deal in investment in terms of training which could provide qualifications/ knowledge

I think the future employment prospects with Renault are fairly appealing. They have a good graduate scheme with many of them coming from the placement scheme. Furthermore, the graduate scheme is 2 years made up of 3 month rotations around the business. This allows graduates to experience many roles and therefore helps them learn and understand all areas of the organisation and highlights the areas they are most interested in.

I think this could be better. Due to the location of the offices a lot of colleagues must drive to and from work meaning that often there are little social events after work. Furthermore, there does not seem to be many social events organised by teams meaning it is dependent on yourself.

Living costs in the area is fairly expensive given the office is based on the outskirts of London. This can also be said about the costs of going out and socialising with most places charging towards to more expensive side.

The nightlife in the area is ok. You have Uxbridge and Watford which are two towns with many bars and clubs that go on till late. There are also many pubs in Rickamansworth which offer a good night on the weekends however London is easily accessible via the underground and therefore is easy to get to.

There are some opportunities to get involved in activities. Renault have a work football and cricket team who play against other companies on an ad hoc basis. This is fun and welcomes all people and abilities. There could be other social activities organised for those who are not into sport as I feel this is an area that is lacking