Industrial Placement Student Review

I initially found it hard to adapt to working life but after the first couple of weeks I managed to settle into working 37.5 hours a week in an office. I enjoyed my placement and found it beneficial for university. You are responsible for making the most of your placement.

I felt as if I was one of the team who had been working there for years towards the end of my placement. Everyone was friendly and approachable, I definitely felt like a valued member of the team. I undertook the same type of work as the rest of my colleagues which also helped.

Limited guidance and introduction was given at the start of the placement from my manager. However whenever I asked for help and support from colleagues it was always gracefully given and everyone was more than willing to help if I had any issues.

The workload did vary throughout the placement year (as you would expect with any consultancy). Sometimes I did find myself without work even after asking for more. At other times I found I had a lot of work to complete, which meant I stayed back to complete it.

Responsibility gradually increased throughout my placement year. The first couple of weeks involved completing a lot of HR tasks and online tutorials with quizzes. Then I worked alongside a few members in my team. After this I was then given tasks to complete myself.

Every aspect of my placement year has helped me with my degree studies. The year helped me to further develop my communication skills, technical knowledge, time management skills, team working skills etc. The placement was very beneficial, and I would advise all students to undertake one.

The office atmosphere was good. A little daunting at first but once you've settled in you soon get used to it. Lots of interesting conversations with other colleagues, bright airy office and plenty of desk space.

Couldn't fault HR with organisation prior to starting. However, there was no real structure to the placement year. It was more like 'we need you to work on this'. At times the placement did feel a little disorganised and I didn't know what I would be working on next.

I didn't receive any personal training from the company. However, I attended regular CPD events where guest speakers would talk about new products on the market.

I was told my year placement with the company would be very beneficial when re-applying as a graduate. Future employability prospects with the company look positive. I also know other placement students that have returned to the company as graduates. Although returning to the company is appealing I am keep my options open.

There were regular 'grad and placement student' events organised by the grad community. These would often be social events at the end of the month (after pay day), a great opportunity to meet like minded people and talk with the younger generation within the company. There are also other events to attend as grads/placement students.

The cost of living was fairly high when you take into account what a placement student earns. I found the cost of socialising was reasonable in my area and there were lots of good priced restaurants and bars around.

I don't think I made the full use of the night life in my area. There were ample bars and restaurants to relax in. There were also a few standard student night clubs which were cheaper than the more sophisticated bars located in the city centre.

There were lots of opportunities including football societies, yoga, palates. As well as the physical activities there were also lots of meals that were organised by the company, There were lots of other opportunities like fun runs for charity etc.