Placement Review at British Airways

The Role

Role Description

Accounting and Reporting
§ Help to provide comprehensive financial accounting, management accounting and reporting to the business. Including: balance sheets, manpower, capital, revenue and expenditure
§ Adhere to all corporate, statutory and regulatory requirements including BA Standing Instructions, Financial Standing Instructions, Financial Reporting Standards and International Accounting Standards

Analysis and Decision Support
§ Help to identify and recommend opportunities for cost reduction and/or revenue improvement
§ To help present complex information in an accessible and meaningful way by interpreting key financial data and modelling it to facilitate decision-making.
§ Ad-Hoc support to assist in analysis as required across the Customer Services finance teams including: Compensation Spend, Catering Benchmarking, BA Corporate Contract Adherence, Third Party External Spend Analysis, and Intercompany Recharging.

Business Planning
§ Help the finance analysts in the team, to prepare and track the Financial Plans and Local Targets using appropriate modelling techniques.
§ Provide the data to allow financial evaluation of business decisions including the preparation, evaluation and control of projects, including external spend and capital investment proposals.

Controls Environment
§ Work within and promote the internal audit controls environment: Helping to implement control mechanisms, monitor, review and report against Self Audit Programme and relevant statutory requirements.
§ Provide information, support and liaison where required to internal finance teams, and help disseminate this to the wider business line areas.
§ Responsibility for support and co-ordination of the self audit programme across the Contact Centres’s and Passenger Services area.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

I enjoyed my placement thoroughly althought there were times when I wasn't always as busy as I would have liked. But I was given great opportunites by my manager and working for an airline allowed me to travel a lot.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

My manager always provided me with positive feedback.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Depending on the time of the month my 'busy levels' changed siginificantly. When it was month end I would have a heavy work load which I always enjoyed but this tended to drop off once monthend was over and I only has ad hoc queries to deal with.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

I was given responsibility to create reports and cascade them but I was never really given much oportunity to attend meetings on my own.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

The skill set I acquired whilst at BA was not relevant to my degree. But I developed my communication and team work skills which will better equip me for the work place.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

There tends to be high proportion of people who have worked at BA for years so are quite settled and not really up for a good time. But they have started to bring in a lot of young people on their graduate scheme and there is small young social scene.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

We started with a two day induction which allowed us to get to know all the other interns and the differnet areas around BA. Apart from that there was not much contact to check how we were getting on and how our placements were going, I believe the interns in commercial had more group contact.

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

★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 2/10

I only attended one course whilst at British Airways, however where I was working did not demand much training.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

• International Travel
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I would consider a job at BA but perhaps in a different role.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

There was a good social scene with the other interns, even taking trips abroad on our staff travel together. However the poor location means there doesn't tend to be any impromptu after work drinks, except on a Friday where a small number of people will head out.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I lived at home so did not have any living costs but socialising costs are as to be expected in London.

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

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 0/10

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

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 0/10

Review 3/5 for British Airways

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