HR Placement Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed the first few months of my placement, especially the initiation at Woodland Grange. I think it was really valuable and high energy from the get go.

To some extent i did feel valued by my colleagues, however there were times that i did feel the status of being 'just a student'. Sometimes staying behind late to finish work or to help others with admin tasks did go unrecognized and unappreciated.

I feel i was given a lot of support and guidance initially at the start of my placement, however this did slowly fade over time. I understand the circumstances, especially trying to manage COVID 19 Protocols, but overall i think i was supported in the best way possible, given the situation.

I was very busy for the majority of the days, sometimes i would find myself working through lunch times or staying late because of the volume of work. However saying this, it was definitely a valuable insight into working in a professional work environment and has prepared me for life after university.

I feel like i was given a lot of responsibility, especially working in this particular department, and this did remain consistent throughout my placement. However i would have liked to have been able to feel like i worked my full potential, but my work environment held me back.

To some extent i feel like the skills and training i received was very valuable to me. I have learnt so many new skills and using different programs that i wouldn't have had the experience of using if i was at university, so yes i think it will assist me greatly towards my final year.

The general atmosphere in the office was alright. There were quite a few times where stress levels and tension would get quite high, and sometimes things weren't managed in the best way. I think it is important to react calmly in a hostile situation and not let your emotions get in the way of professionalism.

I feel like my placement was very well structured. I had a consistent routine of daily and monthly tasks, which remained consistent throughout the year (Pre-Covid), and there was definitely a standardized work instruction.

I think my personal training and development really depends on the individual and the circumstances given at work. Due to the current pandemic i feel like my time was very limited to be able to invest in.

Future employment prospects are very appealing, the company offers a 2 year graduate scheme as well as supporting you in completing a masters degree which is very admirable. There is also an option to travel and work abroad which is also a great opportunity.

Yes, i definitely feel like we had a good social scene between us placement students. We organised many social events outside of work like i.e. Bowling, and also numerous work meals. We also managed to keep in touch with the students from other plants too, which was really nice and a good insight into how work placements can vary between plants.

I'm not too sure of the cost of living as i was able to live back at home for my placement year but it was fairly reasonable from what i have heard. We were able to go for a lot of work meals in Lichfield which was convenient.

There weren't many opportunities to go out in Lichfield, however we did have a few nights out in Birmingham which wasn't too far from everyone.

I think it depends on the students to organise events outside of work, but luckily for us we were all very sociable! We managed to get involved in activities (bowling/meal/drinks) outside of work at least every 3 months which was nice to regroup.