Internship Review at Centrica

The Role

Role Description

My role was to measure the effectiveness of the communications within the company, and to make recommendations in regards to how these could be improved. The aim was to integrate the newest technologies and ways of communications as a way of optimising communications and work productivity. Besides this, I also took on smaller tasks on behalf of my team.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My summer with Centrica was an amazing experience. The support from the graduate team, the company, colleagues and peers was astonishing - I am absolutely gobsmacked when thinking of how great an experience it has been. It has by far exceeding my expectations from before I started. Having realy responsibility in a real company working on a real project is just something you cannot learn from books and lectures. Everything from the social scene and the charity challenge to the extra activities you could take on to challenge yourself more are part of what makes Centrica such a great company to spend a summer with - and did I mention they paid our accomodation?

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

My colleagues were so lovely and despite being busy they went far to ensure that I felt part of the team, as well as contributing and supporting me in regards to my project. They were all focused on making this the best summer for me, and it truly was - I just hope I repayed the service.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I did not see my line manager very often, but she was never more than a phone call away, and one of my team members who was based at the same location as I became sort of a mentor for me - and still is - and that really made me feel more confident knowing help was ready right across the desk. The support from the graduate team was also great, and came in the shape of a buddy and a coach, and just someone calling once in a while to check up on you. I never felt alone or in doubt about what to do or where to go if I had a question.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I normally worked 5 days a week from 8am to 4pm, including breaks. My position was quite flexibe, so I could rearrange my hours - stay longer some days and go home earlier other days - and fit it around the charity challenge events too.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I was solely responsible for my project and really felt that I got some real responsibility on my hands. You are not given more than you can handle, but it will be a challenge, and you are expected to work hard and be creative - but with such a strong support system you will find that you can do anything.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I have yet to use them at my last year during university, but just the pace of the business has got me much more up to speed with everything I do, and the commercial awareness and experience makes so many things in life easier to understand and relate to. I am sure many of the skills will be highly beneficial in the future.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The atmosphere was great. There were so many activities going on, not just in my department but across the site. The building was nice, and the canteen and social areas encouraged you to relax during breaks and get to know other people.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

From my side, the placement was really planned well. I would have preferred having the final team exercises in the beginning rather than the end of the placement so we could have had an even tighter relationship with some of the other interns at different locations, but otherwise everything was absolutely amazing.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

We had coaching sessions, I was trained and instructed by my team, and we attended a presentation seminar before giving the big presentation in the end of the placement. Furthermore there was a team challenge in the end were we had the chance to work further on our team work skills.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

• Flexi Time
• Subsidised Canteen
• National Travel
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Working from home

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Very appealing. I was recommended for the graduate scheme in 2012, but since I will be doing a master I declined it - but who knows, if everything goes as planned I will most likely be back in 2013. The graduate schemes are so well planned and really work to challenge you the most, while offering some of the best benefits and opportunities for development seen in the UK

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

We were not that many interns at our site, but that didn't mean we did not have a great time. Everything from clubbing, dining, bowling and shopping was undertaken during the 10 weeks, and on a national plan we did have some great activities going, like going to the races, nights out, and the big finale - an evening with food and dancing on one of the boats in Henley on our last night.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Centrica paid for the accommodation so that could not have been better. The cost of socialising was hardly nothing, it all depended on what we were up to, but normally we kept it on a level where everyone could join - even without spending too much.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

It was great.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Yes, we had the chance to do the charity challenge, work on a newsletter for the internship, participate in some of the charity activities - such as swimming, races and much more. There were also all the activities in the city we lived in, and with the weekends off there were plenty of time to do so.

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?

I would definitely recommend Centrica - for a summer internship, graduate programme or just a regular job. It is an amazing company with fantastic people. Thank you all for a great summer.

Review 68/75 for Centrica

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