Finance and Commercial Intern Review

This year was probably the best one! I have learnt so much not only about the industry and the role but also about myself as a person. I was a bit intimidated as Siemens is a big company but it felt like home from the first day and it become not so scary anymore.

Extremely valued! I felt welcome from the first day and it did not feel awkward! The people that I have worked with was probably the best part of my placement! I felt like my presence and my contribution matter and I did not feel like an intern I felt like I was there for a long time.

They have been both supportive in my journey. They wanted to make sure that they were getting benefit from me as much as I was getting out of them and from the company. They allowed me to go in a different department for a day to see what was going on and how they operate. I couldn't ask for a better line manager and manager!

When it came to Supply Chain Management, there is a specific time of the year where it was busy usually is from April all up until October. There wasn't a day where I felt like I did not have anything to do even in quiet times, which made the experience enjoyable.

I have been given responsibility based on how comfortable I was. I haven't been thrown tasks and just 'get on with them'. It was a gradual process, the more I was comfortable with the current tasks the more I was given. I could have said anytime if I was not comfortable with the workload.

I have seen a significant improvement in my excel skills just to mention one. When I started I basically did not know the basics but the more I was using it, the more I felt comfortable. The tasks that I was covering were really relevant to my degree and to one of my modules that I will be starting soon. Siemens is a big advocate in learning new skills and strength the ones that you have. Like they always say 'you are never too busy to learn'.

The atmosphere was great! I felt like I was part of a team and when I was asked how I was, the question came from a genuine place. Too many times I have assisted managers asking their employees how they are, even though they necessarily do not care, but when it came to the Business Administrators in Supply Chain Management, the situation was completely different. Always felt welcomed and part of a great team.

When it came specifically to the department that I was in it was well organised as I have been told what are my tasks and how often I need to do them. The only note that I had was that when I started, it was a quite busy period in the department, I did not have my employee card and I did not have my laptop ready, which is something that have been dealt with for the new interns coming this year. Hopefully they will be a bit luckier than me.

The courses that I went to were overall useful. My most favourite is the 'Business Influencing Skills'. It was a very useful course as it can be applied outside work as well. There was a platform that I was introduced pretty much at the beginning of my placement but I did not hear anything from it in terms of when we could use it to do more courses. I wish it was more advertised as I would have probably have used it.

Siemens has a variety of businesses that I haven't explore but I am really considering. Their programmes are great and they offer opportunity to grow within the company, which is always a bonus.

It wasn't too bad as I knew who they were which branch they were working in. When I went to the gala for graduates, academy students and interns, I have realised that there were a lot of interns across the UK, which was something that I haven't really peeped. I wish that was more collaborations or even more events where we could have met a bit often. When it came to my colleagues, it was always a blast as we would find any excuse to celebrate!

Living in Lincoln was fairly cheap. I made sure I had some type of budget each month and I wasn't really struggling at all.

Lincoln is quite of a small town but I was a bit surprised how 'live' it can get especially on weekends. There are quite few pubs where you can spend your evening and you can use your student discount as well, which is great!

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