Marketing Coordinator Review

I have had a great time at 3M and I would recommend anyone to apply, especially to the Health Care business in Loughborough. At 3M you will gain great insights as it is a multi-national conglomerate with operations in 65 countries, producing more than 55,000 products. Working for a specific division, you will be given real responsibility from the first day and you will have the opportunity to develop yourself and your skills along the way. All of this provides you an excellent experience that looks great on your CV!

I really felt valued by my colleagues and I have never felt like 'the placement student' instead I have felt like a true 3Mer. This was verified after having the opportunity to gain 360 degree feedback and finding out that my contribution was highly valued and I was an equally important member of the team as my colleagues.

Sitting near my Supervisor meant I was able to have support and guidance whenever I needed it. She always had time for me, even in the beginning when I had a extensive list of questions and queries! We started by having weekly 1-2-1's which moved to monthly when we both felt this was more applicable. In summary, if I need support or guidance in the future, even after leaving my placement, I know I can ask my placement supervisor - she has been that supportive!

In general my division works at a very fast pace as, even though it is a B2B environment, it runs as a B2C business due to the nature of our customers. This meant there were many daily tasks which needed completing. Also due to managing 2 product portfolios, most days were busy.

From day 1 of my placement, I was given the full responsibility of two product portfolios. The management of this included creating and executing 2 marketing plans, track live point of sale and point of purchase data and ensuring all products met their monthly targets by working proactively with the sales team. Additionally, I have been able to take part in important projects for the business and give a real contribution.

My placement was very relevant to my degree, and enhanced skills that would be beneficial in the future for a marketing role.

At the Loughborough site the atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming. Many charity events are held throughout the year bringing everyone together creating a great atmosphere. My divisions office is open plan providing a great, friendly atmosphere. This is helped by the small events my division and the neighboring division hold regularly including; buffets, domino's days and events such as secret santa ect.

All assessment activities were well organised and executed. There was a gap in communications after signing all the relevant documentation up until the week before my start date, however I have been informed that this was due to changing job roles in the placement recruitment team at that time. For the first week of my placement I was given a schedule of handovers and training, created by my supervisor. I found this helped me understand my portfolios and the industry within my first week.

As a placement student you are placed onto the Emerging Talent program to further your personal development. Additionally, I was able to gain CPD hours by participating in Marketing Excellence Workshops with the UK Health Care Marketing Community and the wider 3M UK Marketing Community too.

There are many former placement students working at 3M who came back through the Graduate Scheme. Although there is no formal fast track onto the Graduate Scheme and there is no guarantee it will be running the subsequent year, if you work hard and create a good impression there is a strong likelihood you may be asked back.

A student health care group brings all the students in Loughborough together, this includes placement students, graduates and apprentices.

This is easily covered by your salary.

With Loughborough being a student town, the Nightlife is as expected from a university town. Leicester, Nottingham and Derby are a short drive away so you can experience the nightlife of these cities too.

Internally there have been several social events throughout the year, including the Christmas Party and The Premier Awards - this award event is exclusive to heath care and it is the best, most renowned social event in the Health Care UK calendar. I have also been involved in office social events with friends I have made whilst been on placement.