Internship Review at Centrica

The Role

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The work and placement I completed as a whole were really beneficial to me in terms of developing employability skills, putting my degree studies into context and learning about what life might be like after graduation.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I got on really well and made good working relationships with my manager and colleagues. I felt valued, they included me as part of the team and we got on together really well. I was given the opportunity to go on working visits with them and also took part in office social activities.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I had regular weekly meetings with my manager and then a more comprehensive mid placement review. They were always available via email and gave honest feedback and development pointers which helped me to get the most out of my placement. I felt like the work I had done, genuinely added value to the department.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The work tended to vary depending on what stage of my placement I was at. While doing research I was less busy when waiting for information to come back to me, but then when I relieved the information the workload increased.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I was given one major project to do and then when I expressed an interest in another area was allowed to take this on too. I also took a really active role in wider activities run by the Graduate team with other placement students.

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

There was no doubt that this placement has set me up really well for the final year of my degree. I have developed valuable organisational, time management and project management skills. I have also developed employability skills which are a very useful addition to my CV. The placement also helped me to gain an insight into what life is really like in HR.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

It depended on where people were working - with some major projects going through and my department being spread across the country sometimes not many people were in - but that is something you face when working in an organisation. When they were all in it was good fun.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The organisation by the central graduate team was excellent. They were always available to answer queries.

The notification of where I as going to be based and what I was doing did come very late on and close to the start of the placement though. I was told the job, but not provided with location or placement details template - I had to ask for these.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I had the opportunity to do professional presentation training to present in from of an audience of 50-60 people. The PDP provided was also structured so I could further my personal development. Plenty of opportunities were provided within my department and the wider placement, which I took up for example, charity challenge, learning visits etc.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

• Flexi Time
• Subsidised Canteen
• National Travel
• Company Parties/Events

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I have already secured a graduate job with them for September 2012.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

All placement students living in Uxbridge got on really well, we did things in the evenings and events where we were altogether were good.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Very low as accommodation was paid for.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The university had good bars for a drink in the evening. I didn't go out into Uxbridge at weekends, I tended to visit family and friends. On our last night we did have a really good time on a boat party up the Thames!

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

There was always something going on!

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 had a great time on my internship and didn't want to leave at the end! My best advice is get involved in all going on, as this experience was definitely what I made of it! Take all the opportunities available to you as the summer will go really quickly!

Review 69/75 for Centrica

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