Business Operations Review

Thoroughly enjoyed my 14 months at IBM. I was given a lot of responsibility which helped me to grow over the course of the year.

My team were very welcoming and treated me like a member of the team rather than 'the intern'.

My manager was always there to support me, if I had any issues I felt comfortable raising them. All members of the team offered help if I needed it. I never felt like I had no one to go to.

My role was very busy however that is how I preferred it to be. The role was different day-to-day so some days were busier than others so it was nice to have the balance.

My level of responsibility increased over the duration of the placement as I began to understand the systems and how the company works. By the end of the placement, the work I was doing was vital to the team and I was submitting numbers to external organisations.

Without a shadow of a doubt, this placement has been very valuable to me. I feel that I have grown so much over the year that I now feel confident that I will get a graduate job. I have learnt how to be more professional, how to speak to clients and I have picked up many transferable skills which can be used in other corporate environments.

IBM have a lot of apprentices, interns and graduates so being in the office at lunchtime still felt like being in University. The office is quite open and relaxed so you can settle right in. It is not the stereotypical office environment I was expecting.

The two day introduction at the start of the placement is a good foundation to start with. My job role was quite flexible so I was able to define my role based upon my strengths. Throughout the year you get time to reflect on what you have learnt at different intervals which is very beneficial as it enables you to see how far you have grown in such a short space of time.

I attended team meetings for education purposes in different locations and there is the opportunity to self-educate online where you can do almost any course you could think of.

I will be re-applying back to the company through the Graduate scheme next year. The graduate scheme is highly regarded and is a fantastic opportunity to start your career.

With over 300 graduates + interns, the university lifestyle almost comes with you. The interns usually go out every Thursday to the bar to get to know each other. There are opportunities to get involved in sports teams etc.

Living in London is not going to be cheap. I lived in Zone 1 and paid about £100 per month higher than friends in Zone 2, however when you take out the cost of travel it more or less evened out as I walked to work. My advice is to live in Zone 1 or 2 as an intern to soak up the London life. Socialising is also more expensive than other parts of the country, you need a bank loan in some bars to buy a drink, but you soon learn where to go.

The office is right on the Southbank so there are plenty of bars and restaurants near by. Covent Garden is also just across the river which is good on a night. There aren't many students around though and I missed the student atmosphere.

IBM have a thing called Giveback where you can give something back to the community. There are lots of opportunities to volunteer. There are also sports teams you can get involved with.