Product Marketing Assistant Review

I have thoroughly enjoyed my placement at Kia, the working environment is open and friendly with a great culture. My time here has gone so quickly as I've always been involved in new and exciting projects throughout the year. Also, the benefits you receive at Kia are second to none.

I have always felt valued by my colleagues. Not once have I been valued any differently to everyone else at Kia. Because of this, I have been able to gain exposure in the company by presenting on multiple occasions to senior management. This shows that Kia valued me as I was given meaningful and important projects to work on.

While at Kia, the management I have received has been excellent. For the most part you are given great independence, however support is always available if you are unsure of something and need advice. You are no expected to be an expert and they understand that this is the start of your career, therefore you are pushed to develop all your skills.

On a daily basis, I am fairly busy. I have a whole host of daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly responsibilities which are diverse enough to keep you interested. Alongside this you will have the opportunity to take on new projects which will be unique and based on Kia's current focus at that time.

I have been given more responsibility than I could have ever imagined at Kia. On more than one occasion I have presented to the senior management team including the CEO on important projects that I have completed independently. I am also responsible for monthly competitor pricing exercises which are vital to ensure our models stay competitive, so to manage this on going project is a massive responsibility.

The functional skills I have developed such as office ability and business etiquette will be hugely beneficial to my final year of university. However, this placement has ensured I am totally prepared for my future post graduate. I have learned vital skills and gained valuable experience in an industry I love which will help me for the rest of my career.

The atmosphere in the office is friendly and open, you can talk to anyone at anytime and they will gladly listen. Within our team we work hard but are always laughing too which means there's never a dull moment! Kia has a comparably small workforce compared to other automotive manufacturers, so everyone works closely with one.

My placement has been very well organised from the get go. I had a thorough handover with the previous placement student, along with a binder full of instructions. This ensured I was never lost in my role, whereas without this handover and guide I would have struggled to comprehend all my work.

During my time at Kia, I have had the opportunity to attend various workshops and training sessions. I have completed an intermediate Excel training course, which helped hone my excel skills. I have attended a presentation skills workshop to develop my PowerPoint and talking skills. There are also workshops on healthy living which many people find useful

Kia doesn't offer a graduate scheme, however it is clear that by making a good impression, you are in good stead to return if a role/opportunity arises within the business. I think Kia would be an excellent company to return to due to the comprehensive benefits package and that it is growing year on year.

Each lunch time, myself and the other placement students play pool in the games room, which is great fun and gives us time to relax. There are also various activities such as football, badminton and yoga which you can participate in if you wish. We also did things after work as a team such as going to the pub or playing crazy golf.

Compared to where I am used to (the south west), living costs are quite high. unfortunately the other placement students lived close enough to commute, so there was no possibility of house sharing. the rental of a room in the area is around £600-800 depending on the quality of the house and whether you want an ensuite.

The night life in the area is great as its easy to hop on a train into London which, although expensive, has a great nightlife.

There are plenty of opportunities. You can take part in charity events such as marathons or cycling as well as others. There is also lots of sports after work such as badminton and football that are free to participate in. We are partnered with the Children's Trust so there are events to get involved with there too.