Internship Review at National Grid

The Role

Role Description

Network Analysis and a scribe

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

Placement was a long and drawn out process. Was only 12 weeks but it felt like 30. Given very little work to do. Wasnt actually given anything worth while until about week 4. Had to keep myself busy for 90% of the time reading about the company or something else. Very much doing work for the sake of work. Placement was planned very poorly. HR wernt ready when i started, the IT guys wernt ready with a Login or computer, Property wernt ready with a desk, the list goes on.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Treated like a valued member of the team from Day 1

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Very little support given but not much needed when your not actually doing any real work.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

Bored, very very bored

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

Was given a fair amount of responsibility during the 2 weeks of propper analysis work and was doing the work of some senior members of staff.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

Skills I have lernt wont help me atall at university or in any future career unless i come back and work for the same team as a graduate. Work was not tailored to my degree atall. Aproximatly 70% of the people in my team dont have a degree in engineering or anything related to the work they do.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Atmosphere was good when people were around, most people were in meetings for alot of the day so wernt at their desks.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 0/10

Very Badly indeed. Most things were not ready (such as IT and HR) untill my second or third week. And after 12 weeks I still dont have some of the software installed I actually needed to do the little work i was given.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

Invested a fair amount teaching me analysis but it was so specific to the company that it cant be transfered to any other ocupation, even within the same company.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Would consider a job in another team within the business but Im deffinatly staying clear of the one I was with on placement. One bonus is it helps get you to the assesment centre for the grad scheme if you are interested in returning to the company

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

The few I met went out very little, maybe 2 or 3 times over the whole placement. Unfortunatly i never got to go with them as it was at the weekend and I wasnt available.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Dont know to be honest. The place I stayed was with a friend about 15 miles away so rates were negotiable. Dont know what ousing would cost nearer to the company.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Never went out near where I worked but they have some of the usual suspects in respect to clubs and bars

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

The was one event organsided for us but as it was the summer and most placement people were either leaving or had been in the company long enough to have their own social lives.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

My other experiences at National Grid have been good and they do have a flexible benifits scheme and a good pention scheme, it was just my placement was so badly organised (i dont think they actually thought about what i would be doing untill i was ready to leave) that I have left poor scores for most things

Review 93/103 for National Grid

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