Finance/Controlling Placement Student Review

My main responsibility is to monitor and assess the plant’s key performance indicators and their impact on our profit and loss statement. From here, I am able to track, measure and analyse whether we are on target to meet our financial forecasts, as well as identifying areas where we will need to improve our consumption of materials and spending. Furthermore, I also support the department during our month-end closure with the preparation of financial reports and statements and help to input figures into our reporting system.

As a result of my placement, I can now confidently use productivity, accounting and cloud reporting software; something which is beneficial to professionals in the finance industry. Furthermore, I have been able to develop and strengthen my skill set and adapt to new working environments to emphasise my motivation and drive to perform. Overall, it has provided me with a combination of functional knowledge and work experience which will aid my career progression in the future.

Coming into my placement, I was pleasantly surprised to see how much “hands-on” work I was able to complete in order to support the department. Initially, my work was overseen by my supervisor and manager just to ensure that I understood business processes and programs and completed documents correctly. As I gained more experience, I was able to take on more and aided the completion of more important tasks vital to the running of the business.

My manager operated an “open-door policy” in the office, meaning I could always meet with them to ask questions or discuss work tasks. I also worked next to the assistant controller who was also happy to answer any queries I had or aid the completion of tasks during the early stages of my placement. We also had regular review meetings to discuss my performance and raise new opportunities for progression in my role throughout the year.

Faurecia's company culture is focused on collaboration and they highlight the importance of working with others to develop yourself as an employee of the company. Our office is all open plan, so you were able to work closely with all departmental colleagues. Everyone in the office is extremely friendly and always willing to provide you with help whenever you needed it. Generally, the atmosphere was quite informal, being able to chat freely but still be productive in your role.

Throughout my placement year, I have received great exposure to working in the finance industry and was introduced to a variety of financial duties and projects. Therefore, I was excited to put the theory I had learnt into practice and gain as much experience as I could to benefit my career prospects for the future. In addition, I have worked alongside a fantastic team who have fully supported my growth and development within my role.

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When applying for a position at Faurecia, make sure to do plenty of research about the company. For example, learn how the company operates and their presence within the automotive industry. Also, read about their convictions and values to understand their company culture. Furthermore, understand what they are looking for when recruiting placement students (e.g. specific skills and experiences) and highlight to them what makes you suitable for a role within one of their plants.