Finance Industrial Placement Review

Helping line manager with day to day tasks, like processing journals and running actual cost reports. Attending meetings with members of the project team. A few monthly tasks like providing comments for the balance sheet, and reconciling the monthly actual costs across the different systems.

Developed communication skills, meeting and talking to people from the wider business on a day-to-day basis and at Finance events. Learnt a lot about BAE systems and what it would be like to work there.

I was given monthly jobs to complete on my own. And the odd query that I would have to go away and try to figure out.

My line manager was great. Also the finance early careers department were great. I had a mentor who I didn’t speak to much, and a buddy who left the business a few months after I started. There was always someone to ask if I needed guidance on anything.

Everyone was really friendly and lovely to work with. I think because I was only there for a year it was hard to fully integrate into the team, especially when we only went into the office 2 times a week. But that worked well for me as I had a 1 hour commute into work.

I learnt a lot and got a lot out of my placement year. The job specific training could be better, and sometimes there wasn’t a lot to do because my manager was busy and I couldn’t really do much on my own. It was very useful in deciding what I want to do after university, and the application process definitely helps with this too. Overall I enjoyed the year.

Yes

BAE systems is a great company to work for with lots of benefits and lovely people. Depending on where you work the work can be exciting and busy. Research the company well and their values.