This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
-
The Company
-
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
I enjoy my placement when the work is constant and I am busy. Sometimes there are periods where the work flow is not as much as I would want it to be but this happens in every job!
Generally, most employees are very welcomning and want you to do well and learn from your placement. There are one or two that don't like the idea of change and I think they may feel threatened by younger students comning in, but again, I believe this happens everywhere!
The Placement Co-ordinator does a very good job of making sure you supported and gives you every opportunity to voice any concerns and will take them up with the necessary people if needed. My assignment management is very good at giving me work that is important and explains to me why it needs to be done, rather than giving me tasks that are just to pass the time and hold no real importance to the project as a whole.
This question is quite difficult to mark as with project management the work stream differs. There are times when you are really busy and then times where there is not as much work on. Speaking to people who have been involved with project management for some time, this seems to be the way it work! Overall though, I would never say I have had too much work piled on me, but I would say the scale of the work I am being given is challenging but not too much to deal with, which is good as it allows you to learn more about the work you are doing!
I am running some of the documentation within the project and it is up to me to make sure it is up to date and the people who need it are given it at the right time. I work with the Senior Project Manager and he will delegate work to me, such as building agenda's and presentations and gaining information from sources outside the business, but will keep an eye on the work I am doing to make sure it is correct, and if it isn't he gives me feedback as to how I can improve.
I think the skills gained on my placement will be invaluable, even if I go on to a difference Graduate role. Being comfortable in a working environment and knowing how to effectively communicate will be two of the main things I will take from my placement. Also, my time management and organisational skills are improving and this will help me massively in my final year at Uni when I am trying to deal with my final year project
The Company
I came in at a time where a lot of change was going on in the company, so at time the atmosphere was quite tense and edgy. But generally the people in the office were a good laugh and it was quite a relaxed atmosphere, with jokes flying around.
Starting with the assessment centre, this was very well organised. Time was given so that you could meet the other candidates and relax before the actual assessment centre and this made it a lot easier. Once we were offered the job we had a training week in one of the companies training facilities. This was great as it allowed you to meet the other placement studies and get a better understanding of what goes on in the company and how you will be linked into that!
In terms of personal development this placement was very supportive. We have monthly check in's that analysis what you have done for the past month and where you think you have done well and where you think you need to improve. These are really good as it allows you to pick area's to try and improve on and then see how you have done at the next check in. Training opportunities were also available, but these depended on what work you were concentrating on.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Hope to get a job with them. So if you do well and all goes to plan you will be given a conditional offer for the graduate scheme which is a great incentive to do well!
The Culture
The placements and graduates often have nights out and we all get on quite well! The others are also socialable and a lot of people go out for drinks after work or for lunches together. As I said before, it is quite a relaxed and good working environment .
Coventry = cheap but not that nice.
Only 2 places to go out - leamington would have been better.
Loads of stuff to do.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Market Research, Business Management
West Midlands
July 2014