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
Loved every moment of it, was a part of a great supportive team, experienced a broad range of challenges and tasks that helped me grow.
Felt extremely valued, given important tasks/access to programs which could have a direct affect on the production line. Felt my opinion was valued and taken seriously at all times, helped me learn to cope with responsibility.
My team were amazing, there was always someone in the office that i could go to for help or advise, never did i experience a negative response or was i ever turned away. In the early stages i was also checked up upon by my deputy manager, to make sure all was well and to see how i was getting on,
It all varied throughout the year to be honest. There were times were it was quiet, on the other hand there were many times were i was rushed of my feet for weeks, days would fly by due to being extremely busy. Majority of the time i carried out my daily set tasks, with new projects that i would start/finish throughout the year,
I had an abundance of responsibility, from making decisions on projects, ` having access to valuable production affecting programs to organizing and dealing with suppliers on behalf of the company. All these situations have taught me how to deal with the responsibility and make effective decisions.
There were so many skills i have learned as well as develop, but the main skills i will definitely take to my final year at university and generally in wherever life takes me, is organisation and prioritization. I have experienced stressful times were work overload seemed to be too much, but in these circumstances being organised, and being able to prioritize jobs into their importance, was a key skill i developed which helped me get through.
The Company
Atmosphere was great, there was a perfect balance between work being carried out as well as a social side. Every week the team meeting allowed a live update on projects, it would keep everyone focused and on track to meet deadlines, at the same time there was a bit of banter in the offices. It was a healthy balance and allowed everyone to get along with each other,
The placement for me was a bit unorganized, however this was due to the time i started my placement. When i joined the department, the manager was being relocated into a different role, and so the first few months we did not have a manager. My deputy was very busy and so did not have the time he would of like to have a professional introduction to the team. However when i was leaving, that was a key point which was pushed forward, to have a whole new structure for the next student. All accounts and access would be approved, uniform, work email ect. So there has definitely been improvements made and i feel the replacement students entry to the company was a lot more pleasant and organised.
I felt the company invested their time and resources, i was introduced to many of the companies online platforms/programs and database systems.
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
Future employment prospects withing the organisation are very likely as long as you have shown your enthusiasm and commitment. An example of a previous student which did his employment 2 years ago has graduated and started in the company withing the same department he did his internship in. Just goes to show anything is possible!
The Culture
There is a social scene, i was invited to a casual football kick around on Fridays, to meet and get along with other fellow students. There was also football on a weekly basis between some of the guys in my department and others from the neighboring departments. We also had department Christmas dinners ect.
I initially planned on commuting from London to Oxford, however 4 months in couldn't cope and so was forces to find a room to rent. Oxford is extremely expensive and so was tricky to find a cost effective place.
I personally do not go to clubs or pubs, but in Oxford there is pretty much pubs on every corner. From what i heard, there are a few main clubs to cater for the partying students. There is local cinemas also, Oxford is a very lively place.
Yes it all depends on yourself, between me and the other student we organised Christmas dinners, activities such as go karting as well as leaving parties. If you are proactive, you can open doors to activities outside work.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Automotive Engineering, Engineering, Manufacturing, Product Design
South East
August 2015