Supply Chain Management Industrial Placement Review

My year at National Air Traffic Service [NATS] has been a great experience and has exceeded all my expectations greatly. Everyday at NATS has been greatly enjoyable!

Before even starting my year at NATS, a Familiariisation Day was planned as a 'Welcome to NATS and my department'. From that day I felt confident that everybody at NATS was lovely and welcoming. In my time at NATS, I've been given real roles and responsibilities just like any other member of the Supply Chain Management department. All collegues have welcomed my opinion, input and made me feel valued.

My main manager has been great and very supportive throughout. I've had monthly 1:1's with my line manager and with the manager who I have been working with - so it's been very easy to be given and accept their support and guidance.

On a daily basis, I tend to have certain tasks that need to be performed daily, weekly or monthly such as reporting. I've always good a good balance of work with a variety of different tasks. There has also been a lot of opportunity to take on more work and get involved in different areas. Working in different departments has meant that my work load has fluctuated - but overall I have never been 'bored' or 'too busy' and unable to cope.

I've been given a great deal of responsibility, which has allowed me to really get involved in certain projects and see an end-to-end process.

I believe that I've developed a great deal of transferable skills, such as general communication skills, presentation skills, teamworking skills etc. I've learnt a lot, and I'm sure almost all of it will assist me throughout the remainder of my degree and future working life.

There's a great atmosphere here at NATS, everybody is lovely and friendly. There's always lots going on too around the office - which is great!

The placement was very well structured, allowing me to work in all sections of my department for a set amount of time to experience everything. There has also been a lot of opportunities for me to have a say in what I would like to do, such as spending longer in a department because a piece of work is taking longer and I would like to see it through.

There has been a lot of training courses to do with NATS and general skills such as Presentation Skills.. There's always opportunity to book a space on a course.

The social scene at NATS is great, on joining in the summer there was various opportunities to go out for lunch or for drinks after work with co workers and that has continued. Between all the Industrial Placement students and Direct Entry Graduates there is also a very good social scene, we've had various nights out and activities around the Portsmouth / Southampton area - and organised our own Christmas Party. We also always have lunch together and every Friday there is an optional pub lunch.

I've lived at home in Bournemouth, but on staying with friends at NATS it has been a normal price of living (Portsmouth possibly slightly cheaper).

We've had a lot of NATS nights out in Southampton / Portsmouth and the nightlife has been fun!

There is a Sports and Social club, which has activities such as Zumba, Yoga, Tennis, Spanish lessons etc. After department 'Away Days' in hotels there has also been opportunities to socialise with the department in a round of golf.