Head Office Industrial Placement Review

I loved my placement at BA, I got a real insight into the company over the 11 months. During my placement, I was given responsibility to manage and deliver projects both in the UK and internationally. I worked in the Global Partnerships and Sponsorships team working with our partners including England Rugby, The White Company, KidZania London and Union Coffee. This gave me a breadth of experience into partnerships and British Airways as a whole through working with departments across the company including our international teams.

I always felt valued by my colleagues as they gave me responsibility to manage my own projects as well as supporting me throughout the process. I was in a team of around 15 people and we would have fortnightly meetings where we would keep each other up to date with our projects while offering ideas and support. I was also able to bond with the wider apprentice, placement and graduate community through organised events.

At the beginning of the placement, there is an induction week which allowed everyone to build an understanding of the company and get to know your placement manager and other placement students. Throughout the placement programme, I had weekly meetings with my line manager and regular meetings with my placement manager to ensure that I was comfortable with my workload. We had three development days throughout the year with other placement students as well as skill bytes which offered an insight into new areas of the business.

Throughout the placement year I was really busy but I had a good work life balance. As well as balancing my own job, I looked to do different shadowing around the business to get an insight into everything from our flight management to customer service at Heathrow to make the most of the placement year.

Throughout my placement year I was given lots of responsibility to manage and deliver projects working with our partnerships including presenting to senior leaders and external companies on a regular basis. I was given a lot more responsibility then I expected when I began my placement year which I meant I got to learn and develop my current and new skills throughout the placement.

I will definitely take away the skills I've developed and apply them to my studies including the work ethic and lifestyle to better manage my time in the future.

The office was hardworking but sociable, everyone is very approachable and happy to help. We had quarterly away days to different companies which allowed for bonding between colleagues.

Well Organised. The first week was great where you got the opportunity to bond with other placement students and have an insight into the company then you begin your placement in the chosen department. You get to put down preferences before you arrive of the different skills you want to develop but don't find out your placement till the first week.

British Airways has learning and development portals where there is the option to sign up to lots of different courses to allow you to develop skills both through online courses or face to face courses.

As a Head Office Business Placement student, you are given the opportunity to interview for the Future Leaders Graduate Programme at the end of your placement year so you can potentially go back to University with a Graduate Programme offer.

There is a Graduate Committee who organise socials and events for apprentices, placements and graduates. There is also the opportunity to do charity challenges, my cohort did a trek in Italy for charity.

It was more difficult as British Airways is located by Heathrow so there aren't as many social areas as in Central London. The cost of living was high being in London but there is the option to live further out of London e.g. Staines or Reading which have good access to Heathrow where there are regular buses to British Airways' Headquarters.

There isn't any nightlife around London Heathrow but you can easily get into London with the Piccadilly Line and Heathrow Express.

British Airways has a charity partnership called Flying Start which a lot of employees get involved in through doing different challenges. The Flying Start team are really supportive. There is also BA sports clubs which you can join.