Placement Year Review at Audit Commission

The Role

Role Description

Assisting the Analysis and Statistics Team with data management, survey production and administration and general Excel and SPSS analysis.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Not only gained a lot of experience out of this placement, but also a lot of techniques that prepare me well to complete my degree.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Everyone was very welcoming when I arrived and they have continued this postive attitude throughout the time i have been here.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Everyone was always on hand to answer any questions I had and always happy to help with things i didn't understand.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Would vary from day to day, some days would be quiet while other days would be quite busy. This was of no fault of the team; the team doesn't have a set schedule of work and is given work at varying times of the year from other teams within the Commission.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Always given important tasks that needed to be completed efficiently. Often got the opportunity to present work and discuss work with other teams within the Commission.

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 i learnt are definitely useful for the last year of my degree, and will probably come in handy if i decide to complete a Masters or if i decide to work in the public sector as a researcher again.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Often was a lot of banter in the office, and everyone was very friendly with each other. Everyone got on with each other in and out of the office.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Things flowed very well since the start of the year. There were occasions where work had dried up, but that is once again of no fault to the team, whose workload varies reguarly.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Had the opportunity to attend courses that would benefit both me and the Commission whilst i was on placement. Often was set work related to what i had learnt over the year.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

• Company Car
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Company Parties/Events
• Above 25 days holiday
• Working from home

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Graduate scheme available to work with the Audit Commission. Jobs not available within the Analysis and Statistics team but there is preference given for previous experience.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Lots of placement students within various teams of the Commission.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I didnt have massive amounts of money with paying rent and bills, but still got to go out from time to time.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Having lived here for a couple of years, I know the area quite well, and the nightlife has got better recently compared to previous years.

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

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

Only seen advertising for a cricket club, and a few quiz nights.

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?

For anyone doing a Mathematics degree who is looking for a maths/statistics based placement, this post is certainly worth its weight in gold! A lot of knowledge gained from my time here, which will be of great benefit to me as I attempt to gain a first in my Maths degree. Also a great placement to set you up into a career within government and the public sector.

Review 3/9 for Audit Commission

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