HSE Student Review

Throughout my placement I was given the opportunity to work cross-functionally with all members of staff on various issues and projects. This made my placement very enjoyable, as I was able to develop an adaptive communication style which turned out to be the most valuable skill I gained. It also allowed my business awareness to flourish and I felt comfortable in my role, whilst still being challenged on a daily basis.

In a HSE role I was expected to communicate well with all members of staff ranging in management levels and seniority. This allowed me to build strong work relationships where I felt valued by my colleagues, especially when meeting deadlines and going above and beyond. The placement scheme is run very effectively, with constant support from the UK HR team and they make sure you feel appreciated for your contribution to the company, particularly at the end of the placement. There is also the opportunity to win student of the year status which encourages diligence from the placement students.

I was working in a team of two people at the Washington Plant and I received excellent support from my manager at the time. We had 3 month reviews to track my progress which helped steer my development in the right direction. I also received support from the plant manager and HR team, which was especially appreciated during the COVID-19 crisis.

Due to the nature of my role, how busy I was depended upon what activity was taking place inside the plant. Day to day tasks were minimal, which meant there was much more time for projects and opportunity's to deploy HSE schemes and act quickly in times of emergencies. Most days would be very busy with the odd day being quieter. Overall it was a good balance.

During my placement I was able to be fully autonomous in every task and project I completed. With the projects I was briefed, I still gained support when necessary but I was able to manage them with full responsibility. Also due to being part of a small team, when my manager was absent, I would be expected to attend management meetings and take on an increased amount of responsibility. This was a beneficial learning experience and helped me to develop confidence in my own ability and further develop my communication style.

Completing a placement has made me much more motivated to finish my studies to my best ability. Although the functional knowledge I learnt is less related to my degree, the skills which I have gained have taken great effect on the way I work at university. My focus has increased massively and my desire to succeed has increased greatly.

At my plant, the office staff were all extremely friendly and it was easy to have a laugh whilst still acting professional. We would meet each other outside of the workplace and I have definitely made friends for life from my time at Faurecia. The way the placement scheme is run also means that you will have other placement students working with you in different functions, which definitely helped in the first couple months of the year.

The UK HR team did a fantastic job of setting up the placement for all students. At the beginning of the placement we received training where we had the opportunity to meet all the UK students from five different plant locations. This helped to build work relationships outside of your own plant and helped to become more familiar with the organisation. At the end of the placement we also had a 'wrap up' event which ended up being virtual due to COVID-19. However, the UK HR team managed to still deliver a great presentation and goodbye.

With being in a HSE role, I think an improvement to be made would be to offer the opportunity to complete a NEBOSH course. However, I did get the chance to complete fire fighter training which related to my role.

There is opportunity to join the graduate scheme after you have finished your studies or the VIE scheme which is a graduate role in an international plant. Personally, with the career path I want to go down, the future employment prospects are less appealing. If you want to have a career in the placement role you chose, then the opportunities are very good.

Completing the placement with five other placement students was definitely one of the main highlights of the year. I made life long friends and we had and still have a consistent social life outside of the workplace.

I lived in Newcastle whilst completing a placement in Washington UK, so the cost of living was as cheap as chips!

Newcastle is renowned for its nightlife, so the social aspects outside of work were a lot of fun!

Socially, we made our own opportunities by meeting up outside of work with the other students as well as work colleagues.