IT Specialist Review

Enjoyed it immensely. Since I worked within the Technology Centre in Bedfont, I got to play with all (except 1) brands of server. I had a personal project to work on, so I was given a personal workstation on top of my ThinkPad to use for development purposes within the office. Outside the office I travelled to 3 Technology Exhibitions where I was very much involved and also got the chance to travel to Barcelona for a conference.

Colleagues within the Technology Centre were amazingly supportive and a friendly bunch of guys. All of them were willing and proactive in teaching me things about their lines of work. Was very much part of the team, and was trusted with many tasks while they were away from the office. The support I received when trying to reapply to IBM for a graduate place was crazy. My supervisor was well connected within the company, and spoke to the General Manager of IBM UK about me getting a job. I was then put in contact with very senior managers about job opportunities.

Management was a different story really. I had a good relationship with the two managers I had over the year, but saw them rarely. 99% of the support I received was from my supervisor whom I worked with day in day out. I give 10/10 to my supervisor and 6/10 to my managers for a total mark of 8/10.

There were quiet periods that went along with the busy as hell periods. Same as any job I guess. Some days I would spend half of the day on the Internet, and some days I'd be running around on the phone or working on a project etc.

The times where I was given responsibility were scary at first, since the amount put on me was really intimidating at first. Things like transporting racks of servers and monitors across the country, setting them up, dismantling them and then bringing them back in one piece were crazy. That had to be done 3 times, so by the 3rd I was pretty confident with what I had to do. Smaller things like looking after kids on work experience and teaching them things about IT and IBM were useful. I was client facing multiple times, so the reputation of IBM and its products was on my shoulders.

Working to deadlines that would actually delay a real world project and working within a massive company such as IBM is amazingly useful for my future life. Its been invaluable for my final year and some of the skills and tips I learnt while at IBM have gotten me through my final project and multiple courseworks. The knowledge of the IT industry and in particular the business side of it has done me well with job interviews with other technology and IT companies. I have been successful with getting into an airline to support/develop their IT systems.

Banter was great in the office. Always taking the piss out of each other but still making sure all the work was done.

I was the first Industrial Trainee to be employed by that department so there was no official plan for my year there, but there were general aims for me like completing a final project, learning certain things, and being involved in everything. In the end, I learnt a great deal and I couldn't have asked for more.

I got good informal training since I was in the Technology centre where lots of training takes place and from learning from my colleagues. I tagged along on training courses about technologies in server computing among other things.

I was very willing to rejoin IBM after graduation, but my application process has been a long and drawn out affair. I grew a big disliking for how HR handled things, but I suppose thats to be expected with a company the size of IBM. Maybe in the future I will rejoin IBM as an Experienced Hire. Would love to work for them in the future.

There were loads of placement students at IBM Bedfont and there was a very good social scene with things happening all the time. I regret that I didn't take part with all of it, but that was partly due to me starting a month and a half after the other students.

to be completed...

Good clubs in central london and some nearby in Windsor and Staines.

to be completed...