Velocity Support Review
by IBM
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
2.9
-
The Company
2.9
-
The Culture
2.9
- 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
My year at IBM had good and bad moments, but enjoyed overall.
Only on occasion was I made to feel not valued, as only an intern not colleague. But generally my colleagues made me feel valued and part of the team.
Both my managers were very supported and encouraged me to do things outside my role in order to gain a broad experience
Not at all busy. Had a lot of spare time which I used for adhoc work, training and doing my placement year uni work
One of my tasks held a lot of responsibility as the work was seen by senior managers and directors. Wish I had more tasks like this, rather than several pointless tasks.
Definitely was able to develop skills throughout the year that will help me in final year. IBM has an online training site, that has a lot of training modules available.
The Company
The office on the whole was a friendly environment. Occasionally it seemed liked Secondary School, but this was due to a few of the characters, rather than the office itself. After work activities were organised, mainly to the pub!
You don't know your exact role (or unlikely to) until you turn up at IBM - this has shown to be a hit or miss set up, as not everyone is happy with their role.
You can take advantage of the online training at any time - there are no limits. In terms of professional training, there is no option for this. You are also allotted a personal development manager, who is there to help you throughout the year. They will help with almost anything and will push you to do your best and develop your skills. They are very supportive and are one of the best things about IBM
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Company Car
Subsidised/Company Gym
National Travel
International Travel
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Above 25 days holiday
Working from home
Healthcare from home
Healthcare/Dental
Travel loan
IBM does offer Graduate roles, but lack those in finance. Grads appear to be very well supported and have plenty of opportunities. I would consider applying back if I could find the right role.
The Culture
On occasion
Not too expensive considering it is London.
I did not go clubbing, so cannot comment too much. However, my colleagues appeared to enjoy Kingston.
IBM run a Giveback initiative, which is volunteering to giveback to IBM. These opportunities are easy to find and you can do as much or as little as you want. For example you can help run assessment centres.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Business Management, Voluntary
London
May 2015
