Assistant Project Manager (Public Sector Consultancy Summer Internship) Review

The placement was probably one of the best I have done. From someone who has done a fair few sets of work experience, I can truly say Mace genuinely made the effort to maximise the experience from Day One. They were very keen on making things happen for you. For example, if you felt you were not being taken to site enough, they would arrange a site visit for you with no question. HR were also extremely helpful in the sense that they would constantly be on hand and provided regular phone calls to monitot whether you were happy over the placement.

I felt extremely valued. A unique point about this company is that you are not seen as number. From the first day there was exposure to senior directors, who made time for us even in their busy schedules. Around the workplace, the friendliness of staff amazed me. The hot desking policy meant that you would meet new people everyday. The fact that no one ever turned me away but tried their utmost best to give me their time indicated to me that I was highly valued as if I had been there for a while.

I was provided with a great deal of guidance. My line manager was extremely helpful in the sense that, if I was provided with challenging work they would not simply take away the work and give me something simple, they would sit down with me and go through and rectified any problems I was having. The buddy system in place also means you have a graduate mentor allocated to you. This was rewally helpful as they have been through the process before but you can also ask them any question you want if you don't feel confident enought o ask your line manager.

I spent a lot of time in very detailed meetings to allow me to absorb knowledge and understanding of the complexities of a regeneration project. I was given the opportunity to sit in on meetings and liase with external consultants including Directors and Partners of Property Consultancies and Law Firms, in which strategies for the conduction of a Competitive Dialogue Procurement Procedure were organised in addition to reviewing lease and development agreement clauses and obligations. Aside from the meetings, my day-to-day duties would involve producing reports, updating risk registers, chasing people for project actions to be completed, minuting meetings and additional administrative project support.. Sometimes I was a little short of work, but I was allowed to work on another project parallel to mine which kept me occupied around the clock.

The level of responsibility I had was high in comparison to other placements I have done in the past. Mace were very keen to push me into learning and doing tasks which were unfamiliar to me, with a high level of support if necessary. As with every internship, it generally takes a while for the company to see what you can do and then allocate you appropriate responsoibility.

Mace are very keen to get you chartered and believe strongly in your professional development. I have created a network at Mace which will allow me to gain help on assignments. The skills I have developed are skills for life. I have managed to liase with senior clients whilst developed slef confidence and my professionalism. The experience of working in a company like Mace is invaluable.

The office was very calm and friendly. Although people were very busy trying to meet deadlines for projects and work there was never a moment where you would walk past someone and they would not make an effort. A company which promotes the belief of creating good relationships is clearly demonstrated by all of their employees.

For a company which has only just started to issue out summer work placments the organisation was excellent. I was provided with everything I required to start work (phone, laptop, stationary etc.) as soon as I completed the induction. My line managers had been briefed well in advance and once we met with them they provided a thorough summary of our projects and what to expect. If there was anything we did not like, we had frequent meeitngs with directors of Mace to voice and address any issues.

Due to being on a summer placment the opportunity to undertake personal training is unlikely to go very far. However, peers on the construction management placmeents which I had met were permitted and encouraged to undertake their CSCS card tests to allow them to access site on themselves. Graduates are also heavily encouraged to attain chartership in their field and this is strongly supported on their Graduate Development Programme. There were also numerous e-learning modules which we could access for free and the Mace Way structure shedded a new light on an approach to the role.

Very appealing. The company is continuously growing and after witnessing the culture, commitment and high organisaiton of the company, it is a very exciting prospect. Their keen desire to retain the youth, at a summer close event we were informed that there is a very high likelihood we would be able to return the next year following approval from our line managers.

The social scene was great. We had a couple of organised social events from mace on the first and last days which were very successful. They also allowed us to network with our peers and others from the company. This networking amongst the graduates, trainees, industrial placmeent students and the summer placement students allowed all the youth of the company to go out and simply have fun!

Some students were seconded to various bases so this varied slightly. I was seconded to Wood Green for my project which was farily afordable. The head office in Moorgate was affordable too but was a little procey for socialising. However when students organised the socials we oftern ended up finding cheaper places. Living wise was fine for me as I currently live in London. If you're form outside of London it will most probably cost you a fair bit but Mace are very supportive and I am sure they will assist you if needs be.

The nightlife was great. The head office being in central London meant that the possibilities to go out and do things were endless. However prices are likely to scare people off, which is understandable as they are a little steep. The group of students were very good company to be with so it was worth treating yourself every now and again.

Mace made it very clear in the induction that there were many things you can get involved in outside of your work. They offer the chance for you take a day off called a 'Mace Day' in which you organise an event to benefit the local community. They also have a variety of sports teams and various sporting/social events to further encourage people to get involved.