BPM analyst Review

I really did enjoy my placement with Centrica. I would love to take part in the graduate scheme pending my interview. 10 weeks has flown by and I feel quite sad to be leaving the team.

I was made to feel welcome from day 1. I was given responsibility which shows they had trust in me and valued my work. They even brought me a small leaving present which they wouldn't do unless they valued my contribution.

My line manager was a rock throughout the placement. I was very new to financial reporting and the company as a whole. She explained different things to me with patience and time, I learnt a lot from what she had to say, even using programs/doing work I considered myself experienced with.

I was busy at the start of the placement, because it was a very busy time for everyone involved in Finance and I had a lot to learn. I was quieter towards the end, when I had mastered my role and my monthly project had become easier to process.

My project was delivered to the Finance Director and included in a pack send to the British Gas board- so I consider this a responsibility and the work had to be accurate as it was contributing to some high level decisions.

The skills will not help me vastly in my economics degree, the structure of the working environment will help me put structure into my degree and surrounding revision. Beyond my degree, it was a great role to see the whole business and see how decisions were made which will be a great asset in my new role here or with another company.

There is a good atmosphere in the office and people always will give you some time. My team was better than others however and so being in another role may not have been so enjoyable. It was a shame due to work location we couldn't take the atmosphere and imporove it by having after work activities.

The placement was very well set up. The roles and line managers were carefully selected. The charity challenge set up on the side was much less successful and not well organised from the start.

They did not invest vast sums sending me to training days. However, they did invest their time in me which is arguably much more important. I feel moving into a graduate scheme this would be much higher in terms of courses and training but less so in terms of time.

There are limited spaces on the scheme but there is a high portion of summer students who progress. The future job in my opinion does not match up to the benefits and rewards compared to somewhere like PWC but the work life balance is more rounded.

Students had a great relationship becuase we sall stayed in the same University halls. Colleagues were from different areas and so the social scene was rather subdued.

Cheap compared to inner London but expensive compared to my home and university in the midlands.

Staines has a poor nightlife. We tended to go into London.

The charity challenge was a big opportunity to develop softer skills outside or the workplace and take on activities for charity. Other than the challenge- there was few team or work organised activities.