This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
Working at Panasonic has been great. There is a big student intake so although you are working its a good transition from University because there are still a lot of young people and a real community feel.
The team environement is very strong and you will be appreciated by your team. This job is not an 'intern job' its a real job so if you weren't here then the rest of the team would have a lot more work to do!
You are given a lot of training at the start of the placement and you will have a handover with the previous student. The managers are very helpful and are always happy to answer questions. I also had a monthly meeting with my line manager to discuss how I was getting on and if there was anything in particular that I wanted to work on.
The amount of work you have can really vary. Some days you will have a to do list as long as your arm and then others you will only have a couple of things to do. As long as you plan your work you won't ever have too much to do and if you're bored then there is always someone who will appreciate your help.
You are treated as a collegue not a student so a lot is expected of you. As the placement progressed I was given more resposibility and towards the end I was project managing a partnership with another company.
The experience you gain from the working environment is priceless. The reality of work is very different to the theory that you learn at university. Having a full year in work allows you to learn so many practical skills and I hope this will really benefit me when I return to University for my final year.
The Company
The atmosphere was good, its a big office so there are a lot of different things going on all at once which means it's never dull!
The placement is very well organised because it has been running for many years. The recruitment process is managed by the HR student, with each of the other students running their own telephone interviews and assessment centres.
There are endless training opportunities at Panasonic. At the start of your placement you are trained on all the software programmes and then throughout the rest of your year there will be extra opportunities to further your skills.
Subsidised Canteen
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Unfortunately there is not a graduate scheme however the rate of return for placement students is very high. For example two of my team were previously students here and they are now Product Mangers.
The Culture
In my year there are 16 placement students. We are a very close group and often go out together and do other social things. I live with 5 other students so although we are at work there is also a uni-like feel to the situation which is great!
The cost of living is very similar to that which I have at University.
The nightlife is quite good, we mostly go out in Reading and as we are quite a big group its always fun! There is also some inter-company socials where all of the students from the companies around the Bracknell area get together to go out.
There is a company gym so there are opportunities to get involved in sports teams etc.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
South East
April 2013