Placement Year Review at Heinz

The Role

Role Description

Started off working in the Field with Tactical Solutions, shadowing Territory Sales Managers on store calls. For my next role I got involved with the Category Development Team and worked on the promotional planning for the Sauces category. My last six months saw me working for one of the customer teams in which I took on the role of Customer Insight Analyst and Customer Marketing Assistant.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of my year, and particularly enjoyed moving around various roles. The only aspect which i missed would be having other placement students/ people of a similar age in the office so i could also have a point of contact with someone going through a similar experience.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Both of my teams were very open and welcoming, and treated me very much like an other employee and part of the team, which I feel added to my experience.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My line manager gave me a huge amount of support throughout the year, even when I moved roles out of his team, and I am very grateful for the time and support he gave me in regards to work both inside Heinz and externally with regards to University.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The beginning of my placement saw a few times where work may have been slightly lacking. Once i was given role responsibility my workload increased to a suitable amount.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

First 6 months I was able to get involved without having too much responsibility, whilst i was 'learning the ropes'. By the second half of my year i had taken on two lots of role responsibilities and contributing regularly to team meetings.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The experience has given me vital knowledge and examples that I can put to use in the final year of my degree, as well as opening my eyes to different roles for a potential future career.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The general atmosphere was upbeat and welcoming, although, as with any company, there were times of tension particularly during Price Increase and other big decision periods.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Having been the first placement student in a few years the organisation was slightly weak at the start of my placement. However once I had settled in and found my place in the team organisation of tasks etc soon improved.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I was able to attend any training experience that would be benefit to me both during my time at Heinz and for future reference.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Very interested in potential going back to Heinz, but am also having to consider other firms that offer roles not available with Heinz and also the location factor.

Other Information

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

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

Being the only placement student at Head Office there was no opportunity for socialising with other students. Would have been nice to have more formal involvement and socialising with the Graduates once they had started.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I lived further in towards to london to be closer to friends and transport links back home, so my cost of living was high, but average for the area I was in. Cost of socialising was good, with a lot of team socials being subsidised by Heinz.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Living in Shepherds Bush I had access to great nightlife, however nightlife immediately outside the office was lacking, and many events were organised further out from my accommodation to suit most team members, so any social events meant I had to drive far or pay for a rather expensive taxi back home.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Sports activities were available but were mainly male orientated. Most activities outside of work were off the back of team meetings. The social club were starting to arrange more evening activities, however I finished before any of these had been put in place.

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 overall experience is one I will never forget. Heinz provide you with a real hands on placement experience, allowing you not only to learn about the industry you are in, but the world of work in general. I could not have chosen a better or more welcoming company to work in during my year out.

Review 7/7 for Heinz

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