Placement Review at Philharmonia Orchestra

The Role

Role Description

Assisting the Marketing Coordinator in promotion of regional UK concerts for the orchestra; taking ticket bookings by phone and inputting in box office systems; designing flyers, promotional material and online and offline sales letters.

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

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

Work was varied but with little structure

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

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Attitude to interns was very mixed depending on colleagues

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

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

Very little structure to the internship, despite being part of an official "training programme"

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Tasks were varied, with lots on my plate, although there were days with nothing to do - common to any internship

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Definitely helped secure future employment within the arts.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

A good mix of creative people

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

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Various issues were unclear, expenses to time off in lieu.

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

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

Training was very much "on the job", with no recognisable structure to the "programme"

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Company Parties/Events

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

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Social opportunities with other interns were common

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Standard London prices

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Southbank Centre was right next to the office

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

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

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?

Make sure you are ready for long-term (over 3 months) unpaid internships. My placement certainly helped with future employment but there were elements that could be handled better by the organisation.