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
At first I strugggled to settle into the "office" environment and find my feet. However once a proper work plan was in place and I got myself to grips with the system and processes I really enjoyed it and thought it was a unique and enjoyable experience.
My colleagues were all very helpful and treated me like part of the team from day 1. Even employees without my direct team were willing to show me what they were responsible for and how it interlinks.
I felt supported in all areas of my work. I also had weekly catch ups with my aligned buddy and manager as well as a catch up with the Head of the IS scheme. This allowed a chance to openly ask questions every week about any area of work, business or general questions I had.
Most days I had the perfect balance of meetings to attend and work to carry on with. The first couple of weeks were slow however but this did not deter me as I knew the nature of my work meant I would be able to pick up more when I knew more.
I had reasonable responisbilty for the events I was involved in. I was doing the same job as everyone else during the separation weekend. On a daily basis I was responisble entirely for my own mini project I had been given on organising communication sessions.
The relation between my degree and the daily working of my placement were really close. It was a great chance to see this and develop the skills that will aid me in my final year of study. Communication. organisational, presentation, meeting and professional skills were all apparent in my time at Standard Life - giving me a chance to build and adapt on the skills I already had.
The Company
There were alot of good people within my team and surrounding teams. It was quite a lively office but at times when the workload is large a little more quiet.
My placement was organised quite well however in the begininng stages it felt like they had not prepared for me being there. On the other hand this was sorted out during my 3rd week were I then had a packed diary and lots to fill up my time with. All documented in a work plan.
I would say the company invested a great deal in us interns. They gave us the platform to learn more about the organisatio, personal skills and technical skills.
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Healthcare from home
Standard Life is a nice place to work and I could see myself working here in the future.
The Culture
Yeah during work and after works hours we made a point of having unofficial intern nights out.
I lived at home during my placement but Edinburgh in general for nights out and dnner is quite reasonable if you go to the right places and know the student deals.
Edinburgh nightlife is brilliant
There were various social clubs to join and nights out to attend.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Yorkshire and Humberside
August 2010