Head Office Placement Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my work placement at British Airways. It was an exciting and fast paced work environment where I was able to develop a variety of skills. I was given real responsibility and able to manage high profile projects. I was exposed to multiple business operations and departments which allowed me to have a well rounded placement year.

I felt welcomed into my team, the wider department and the organisation straight away. I was treated as a 'normal' member of the team as opposed to a placement student. Everyone is keen to praise good work and offer support when issues arise. I felt extremely valued by everyone I worked with.

All of my supervisors and line managers were approachable and supportive. I always felt that I could ask for assistance and they were always keen to further my development and ensure I was getting the most out of my placement. I also utilised relationships in my department and with other placements to always ask questions and get the best advice.

At an organisation as complex and multifaceted as British Airways there is always work to be done and projects to get involved in. There were times that the fast paced nature of the company meant that I was not always assigned work when I had capacity. If you have the confidence and initiative to seek work then there is more than enough to get involved in to ensure you are busy. Equally it is possible to take on too much work and become too busy but there is a great support team around you to ensure you can manage your workload.

I was given huge responsibility whilst on placement. I never felt like I was given less important tasks instead I was given real responsibility and autonomy on all projects I worked on. I was surprised how quickly I was given responsibility. Straight away I was given projects to lead and manage.

The confidence I gained from my placement has meant that I back at University I have been able to easily approach lecturers and staff to ask for advice and seek assistance. Understanding my business area whilst on placement has proved invaluable in having a real world experience to bring a different dimension to my essays

My office was a friendly and exciting place to work. The atmosphere was always positive and encouraged productive work. There was great flexibility and trust within my team. So I was able to utilise the wider office environment and for example go down to the cafe's in the building and do a little work there.

The entire process from application to induction was well organised and smooth. The application process involved regular communication and updates and the assessment day itself was well organised and encouraging. The structure of the placement was flexible and exciting - it is organised so that you are placed in a team that has a need for you and this leads to having lots of work to do.

There were regular development sessions for the placement students such as - presentation and influencing skills. There were also many graduate events that we were able to attend. These skill bites were extremely valuable in widening my understanding of the industry. The wider company has a great variety of other courses on offer such as Commercial Awareness and How to Interview courses - as long as your manager allows you can sign up to these and further your own development

British Airways offers an excellent graduate programme meaning that after your placement there are many opportunities to return on different future talent schemes. Equally if you build strong connections and network whilst on placement, people are keen to help and offer guidance and there is always the possibility of returning for entry level jobs.

Due to the location of the head offices being outside of London (Heathrow) it was more difficult to socialise as it involved travelling a little bit. However we were able to make the most of the subsidised train travel and would often go into London for work drinks. There will also be team lunches/leaving drinks/networking events that allow you to socialise with colleagues outside of 9-5 in the office.

Cost of living in the surrounding areas of Heathrow is significantly cheaper than London but if you choose to live in London then it can be expensive if you do not houseshare. Cost of socialising can be expensive in London but you will find this with most placements.

The surrounding areas were pretty quiet but you are only a short train into London where the nightlife is much better.

There are lots of clubs and sports teams that you can get involved in at British Airways.