Placement Year Review at Renault

The Role

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Really really enjoyed working for Renault; the experience was invaluable in terms of developing my management competences and myself as an individual.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Was extremely motivated and didn't feel like a placement student, but very much part of a team working towards shared goals.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The comment above next to the stars says I was running the show, but I wouldn't go that far! I would say that given the nature and level of my role, I was given a lot more responsibility than what I expected initially. I was also given much more responsibility than my peers on their placements and was allowed to work much more autonomously.

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 learnt the importance of, and used on a daily basis, time management, prioritisation and commercial acumen to name just a few. I was also enrolled onto various internal training courses that were of great help, both for this role and any other I may undertake in the future. For me personally my technical (analysis, excel, word, web publishing) and management skills were nurtured the most.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I wouldn't like to say the fun never stopped as it is a commercial environment and there is only so much fun you can have without taking liberties. What I will say is that if you're interested in the automotive industry, the 'banter' around the building was great. The best was to describe the atmosphere in general terms, using the only cliché I see fit: va va voom.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The induction was great and it had been improved further upon my departure to include a dealer visit. Everyone is introduced to each other very early on and you settle in to the business extremely quickly. Fundamental training courses were already booked in for me, I had equipment on the first day and I was paid on time, so in terms of retro planning id say the internship setup is seamless.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

As far as paying for external training courses, there was some opportunities to take part in these although I didn't attend any myself. Within Renault there are various experts in pretty much whatever you want to learn more about application wise (ie excel, dream weaver etc) who will quite happily spend half their time training you. There is also a lot of on the job training (learning as you go) so if we look at this in terms of time invested I'd say they used a wealth of resources to develop me personally.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Working from home

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Renault run a graduate development programme which I have applied and been successful for pending the outcome of an assessment centre, so the opportunity to return after my degree is a great possibility but not certain.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

There was always bits and pieces going on if that's your thing - nights out, cricket, football and pub quiz etc

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

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I lived in Maidenhead and it was a fortune, however the apartment was very nice and it was next to the town centre so it was ideal. Either way I'd make sure you have a free overdraft before you start!

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I didn't go out myself in London which I'm sure is great. I went out for a drink in Watford which was OK but in comparison to my home town was a bit quiet.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

There was always bits and pieces going on if that's your thing - nights out, cricket, football and pub quiz etc

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?

If you're umming and arring about doing a placement then don't. Do one. It's given me a clear advantage both on my final year of my course and also when I do eventually graduate (most employers stipulate 1 year in industry).

The experience I had with Renault was great and I really enjoyed it. I would recommend them as an employer to anyone and have learnt more useful skills in my year here than I have in the 3 years at university.

Review 3/3 for Renault

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