Workload Manager Review

I truly enjoyed my placement year at IBM, as it was full of new and different challenges. It contributed much in my own personal and professional growth by giving the opportunity to work on tasks that I enjoy doing. The work environment was very flexible and inclusive, which was a perfect environment for me to build many new technical and soft skills. As well as getting close guidance and help from my mangers to help me achieve my goals.

My colleagues were such a great help throughout my journey at IBM, as I got 1-2-1 weekly training sessions with my team lead along with another engineer to build up and develop my technical skills. As well as giving me real tasks to practice those new skills and see how to apply them in business. This really proved to me how people in IBM truly value everyone and support them in a way to help them grow and achieve there goals.

During the past 4 months, As the lock-down kicked in, we started having weekly check-in meetings with my manager. To make sure of our health and well-being, along with a daily message to make sure that we are all feeling up and well motivated during theses times. I had a 1-2-1 review every three months as well to get close guidance and reflection on my personal and business goals, which was very helpful to ensure that I am on the right track.

I was doing a very dynamic role, which depends on many factors that make me very busy or sometimes have some free time. However, I got the ability to expand on my role even more, which made me more busy during the times where I don't have much work on my main daily job role. Learning was a key thing during my placement, which I made time for it every week as well to ensure that I build new skills specially in the different new technologies evolving now a days.

From the first month in IBM, I was able to get up-to speed with all the main tasks I was required to do. That gave my team lead the confidence to give me all the responsibility for those tasks, However, his door was always open for my many questions at the start. He was able to trust my work from the very early stages, giving me the motivation I needed to ensure that my work is delivered in the best way possible. In addition to, always thinking in how to innovate in my job role to make it more efficient.

As I am doing an electronics engineering degree, I was just in the perfect place of know about all the technologies I am interested in, along with the resources provided to learn and develop myself in them. From learning badges to webinars to 1-2-1 sessions, I was able to deeply build many technical skills that would directly help me finish my third year with a great final year project. It also helped me build an idea on which area my final year project should be in, so I would enjoy doing it.

The work environment was very inclusive and diverse, everyone was very friendly especially with interns as there's a big community of interns. That made it fun, and I was able to build a lot of new friends from many different backgrounds. IBMers are very respectful and always helpful, which was a very great environment for everyone to be themselves without feeling left over. I would really recommend everyone thinking of working or doing a placement in IBM, to proceed as you would really love not only the in-office atmosphere but the out-office activities as well.

IBM is a very organised company when it comes to everything within the foundations area so interns, apprenticeships, graduates, and futures compared to other companies where some friends are doing their placement year in. As you get a foundation manager, who is your to-go person in case you need any kind of support or guidance. As well as a task manager, who would be the person responsible for your day-to-day tasks. Both were perfectly supportive in all means.

I was able to have access to many online learning materials, which I made use of pretty well. Learning materials for technology topics, general books, and workshops were made available for us, and even my mangers always offered me the chance to get sometime without work task for my personal learning. In addition to, the amount of time invested by my team lead to teach me and giving me the chance to shadow him for sometime to get an even closer look at his daily tasks and how he manages the team

IBM offers and intern-to-grad applications through the end of your placement, which might give you the chance to skip some assessments like the online test or assessment centre and go directly an interview for some roles. However, as an international student it might me harder as my manager mentioned as the company hardly offer sponsorship for international students, who requires work visa to legally work in the UK. In some cases it might be possible, but generally it's very common that interns get graduate jobs in the company once met the requirements.

The foundation community is pretty big in IBM depending on which location you are working in. In Southbank we used to have many after work gatherings specially at the start, so that we get know each other more. The best social gathering was during the Christmas boat party in London, where all interns from all IBM locations were invited on that day. It was the remark of the placement year for many of us, as we got to meet with many new faces, as it was great to have some time off work and just have some fun.

As my placement year was in London, it was quite expensive compared to other cities. However, I got to enjoy staying in London for a year, which was totally a different experience. We used to have some discounts in some cool locations around south bank, that made more affordable to us. But as I mentioned it would be a trade off if you want to get to enjoy the most of living in London experience

London would be a great option for anyone looking for a great night out, with the social environment available among the interns. I was able to enjoy going out often with other interns, and making new friends around the city. As it was mostly quite expensive in some areas, we had the chance of having some house parties, where four interns were living together at. So I would say that we had a really great time throughout the year, before the pandemic started.

Givebacks were a great opportunity for everyone to get involved in interesting activities out of work. For example, I helped in a Lego event in one of the schools around Woking that was a very enjoyable and different experience. As well as, I went back to Portsmouth a couple of times to help other students through there placement year application process and gave them some hints and tips to improve there CV's to be able to get a better chance when applying to IBM.