Placement Year Review at Unilever

The Role

Role Description

Laboratory-based research into my specific project, alongside compiling my end-of-year report. I also equally shared the typical duties entailed with the job, such as maintaining the lab etc.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I really enjoyed putting the knowledge gained so far in my degree into action during the placement. I enjoyed the balance of lab work and office work, and the people I worked with.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I was given a lot of responsibilities from the start of the placement, meaning that my colleagues clearly trusted me to be able to do them. I felt comfortable working alongside them all.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Whilst it was mostly up to myself to organise my work and get my jobs done, my supervisors always made sure that I knew they were there to help should I need it. I had a monthly progress meeting and was regularly asked questions about my work to ensure it was going okay.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

At the start, there wasn't as much to do because I was still getting used to the job. But it soon picked up, and the balance was good. I rarely had nothing to do, but likewise was rarely rushed off my feet with too much to do.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was surprised by how much trust my supervisors gave me, in that they gave me quite a lot of important responsibilities almost from the start.

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 skills will definitely help my in my degree. I feel that I definitely grew up during the placement and have become a more independent, professional individual.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Everyone in the office was friendly and chatty, so the atmosphere was generally a nice one. Though there were occasional days when people weren't in and so it was a little quiet.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The placement was brilliantly organised. All of the training and intro meetings were out of the way within a week or two, so that I could begin my project asap.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I had all of the relevant training alongside the permanent staff, and I got the impression that if I needed anything above and beyond this then they would have been willing to provide it.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Above 25 days holiday

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

A year placement at a company will always help in finding a job with them in the future, though this is not a definite outcome.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I got on really well with the other placement students. I also got on well with my colleagues, and enjoyed socialising with them-eg at the Christmas meal.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The prices were generally reasonable.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Liverpool has a range of pubs, clubs and bars, and is always a great night out. There are lots of gig venues too.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

There are plenty of things to do, however the limiting factor is time. Between work and completing Uni assignments, there wasn't much time left for outside activities.

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?

The year placement is clearly very different to a normal year at Uni, but I still had a great time meeting new people and learning new things. It's important to try and get a good work/social balance, but if you manage that then it should be a great year.

Review 49/52 for Unilever

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