Business Analyst - Logistics Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year. I got given proper work and projects which really made a difference. I felt valued as a member of the team and my thoughts were listened to and I saw some of my ideas implemented in my time. It was a slow start but learning new processes and a new job takes time so I was expecting it.

My team made me feel very welcome and were always willing to go out of their way to ensure I was happy with the work and with how it was going. It is quite hard to meet people outside of the team as we always sit together but if i'm honest I was perfectly happy with just them!

I had regular one to one meetings where we would discuss my progress and set targets. My manager would often praise me for the work i've done and then recommend bigger projects to get involved with. I also had quarterly one to one meetings with one of the directors as they were also keen to check that I was getting on okay.

I almost had the perfect amount of work, I never felt like I was overrun with work and there was always something to do. Early on, whilst I was still learning the processes of the day to day work I often finished very early, however once I had a good understanding of that and I started taking on projects, I never felt bored or pressured to produce work quickly.

I was given a lot of responsibility, helping with various projects as well as leading a few projects myself. The projects I lead were no small task and it was really rewarding once I had finished them. I played an instrumental part in the businesses Brexit preparations which obviously will have a big impact on the future of the business.

The content of my degree was not directly implemented during my placement, however both the job and my degree are quite specialist so I wasn't expecting to develop my degree knowledge. My apporach to thinking about problems and tackling big tasks has changed which I think will help with my degree approach.

The office was a great place to work when everyone was in. We also had the option to work from home so sometimes it was a big quiet, however it was never dull. I also got the option to work from another office in the UK and it was nice to travel there and meet new people. There were also various socials throughout the year which helped me to integrate more with the wider business.

Excellent programme. From the first day it was clear they new how to utilise me and what sort of thing I would be doing throughout the year. They knew what level of work I would be comfortable with doing and when I needed to do it. There was a lot of support in place so I knew who I could go to if I was unhappy with the way things were going, but I never felt like that.

I was in the team who decided which computer system would be used for the next 7 years and I was given the relevant training so I understood what they needed and what they were looking for. I was also given training on various online systems and my colleagues took time out of their day to teach me the ins and outs of some of their methods. There were a few times that I wasn't invited to some training, but I never felt like I was being forgotten about.

I would love to continue working here in the future. There is a programme run where students can fast track into a job at the business, however it is quite difficult to get on to. I would be happy working in most departments if I were offered a job here.

There were socials run by the business which I thoroughly enjoyed. The only problem I had was that there weren't enough of them! I got on really well with my fellow placement students, however it was difficult to see them out of office hours as most people were busy at the weekends seeing friends/family from elsewhere.

The area is very expensive to live in, however I never felt like it was unaffordable, but I knew when I had been out socialising. It makes it harder to save money living around here, but I never spent more than I earnt. The area is worth the money though, very nice part of the world.

We are close to London but the transport links to London are very poor. The nightlife in London is obviously good but I would always have to stay at a friends. Closer to home, there were little options apart from one club which doesn't have a great reputation, but I have to admit it's my guilty pleasure - great little club!

There was company run football which I played in every week. There is also rounders run in the summer which I got involved with a few times. I joined the local gym and there was also a local cricket club which I thought about joining but it didn't seem worth it due to moving half way through the season.