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
Working at SL was great, everyone’s really keen to help out and I felt very welcome from day one.
Based on the feedback I received throughout my placement, I can confidently say that I was very valued by my colleagues.
I had a lot of autonomy in my role and was expected to get on with the project. I met weekly with my manager to discuss progress. I also sat next to her desk and felt free to ask for help when needed.
During the first couple of weeks work was very slow, but it picked up after that. I got involved in other smaller projects as well as the intern social committee to help keep me busy during the day and for the sake of variety.
I felt like I was a valued member of the team from the very start, I felt that I had a lot of responsibility as members of my team would often ask for my opinion or help on a project/task.
Most of the skills and networks I developed at SL will help me in both my final year of university and my future career. Every day was a learning experience in terms of skills and personal development.
The Company
Despite the fact that everyone was usually very busy during working hours, there was always time for a laugh!
The intern/graduate recruitment team did a great job keeping up with us interns by hosting regular development sessions. We worked on our strengths this year using Gallup strengths finder. Some improvements could be made with informing interns about their projects before starting the programme.
As mentioned, regular development sessions were very common. We also were given in-depth feedback from our performance during the requirement process; this was great as it told me where I am, and where I need to be.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Healthcare/Dental
There are a lot of opportunities at SL and they are available in a variety of streams. Graduate programmes are not only valuable based on the level of training and support provided, but come with a heap of benefits such as competitive pay and bonus, health care and free accommodation for the first two months of the programme to help grads settle in.
The Culture
I was part of the intern social committee and we had a lot of fun organising events for the team. We all had very similar working hours, so we spent a lot of time together. Also, the internship is during the Fringe festival which of course makes the social scene a lot more active.
Edinburgh is very cheap compared to London, together with the added benefit of a free serviced apartment and competitive pay, SL interns enjoy a great social life without having to always worry about cash.
Edinburgh nightlife is great with a selection of pubs, bars and clubs for all tastes and budgets.
There are a lot of clubs and societies at SL which interns are encouraged to join, such as, football, yoga and basketball.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
Scotland
August 2014