Placement Year Review at Experian QAS

The Role

Role Description

Part of Intranet and Web helpdesk teams.
Intranet - maintaining in-house applications, updating content, creating new applications
Web - updating site content, adding site functionality, creating company newsletters, maintaining external company sites.
Small projects for both Intranet and Web were also issued to improve services available.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Working as a web developer in such a dedicated team helped me enjoy my time there. The staff there help make it enjoyable by making it a relaxed environment. The work learned whilst on placment helps you enjoy your time, knowing that it will be useful after the placement.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

For a large company, it is surprsing how welcome they make you feel and help you get settled in as soon as possible. A lot of responsibility was given to me which kept me on my feet but made me feel that they had confidence in my ability. Social events the company provide help staff come together and get to know eachother.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I was very grateful for the amount of support I received from my manager and senior staff in the web development team. They ask a lot from you but are always there for help if needs be which was very much appreciated. They were very much concerned with your goals from placement and what you wanted to learn whilst there.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Being on a helpdesk, work could vary. Some days had plenty of work come in and others very little arrived. There was always work to do even if little had come in at a certain time. Mini projects were given to help fill time as well as add functionality to the company's sites.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

There was a lot of work at times from the helpdesks which asked for a good time management. There were some mini-projects which were handed to me throughout the year which I had to manage myself. They were pretty important and so demanded a lot of care and attention to get right.

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

Its not just the technical skills that will come in handy for final year and beyond but also business knowledge. Knwoing how companies deal in certain situations and how they run will also prove to be valuable knowledge. Improving communication skills is guarunteed to happen there as well as improving project management. Knowing you can handle the work there gives you a lot of confidence with working in this area of expertise in the future.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

There was a perfect balance of having to work and enjoying your time there. The team I worked in was a lot of fun and were all very friendly. Department socials after work took place every now and then to help have a break from thinking about work.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

From the CV being sent, right through to the acceptance was very seamless. The company is very well organised and their recruitment structure helped in making the process as swift as possible. There dedication to offering placement opportunities also helped in the efficieny of setting up the placement.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The company offering placement opportunities in the first place shows how highly you are considered to be working for them. The management in my department were confident in my ability from the start and their desire to want to help you develop as a professional was exceptional. They spent all the time they could to help me do the best I could at the company.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

• Flexi Time
• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Above 25 days holiday
• Healthcare/Dental

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Its a very well established company thats always looking to making staff feel like a family and enjoy their time there. They are professional in what they do which is showed in their position in the market. Working there has the potential to having a great career!

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There were a number of meetings with placement students to help break us placement students into the company. I think the company setting these meetings up helped overcome our nerves knowing that we were not alone. Social events helped break the ice with the staff and get to know them better.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I was fortunate enough to live at home and so my costs were mainly spent on travel. Going out for lunch was a common occurance but lunch time deals help keep costs down. After work socialising was a litle more expensive, being as it was in London.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

I lived a fair distance from work so going out to experience the nightlife was limited. On the occasions I did go out with team, I enjoyed my time out very much!

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

The company takes pride in providing schemes for helping charities as well as the local community. I did not take part in these activities although there was no harm in doing so.

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?

You really would miss out if you didn't want to work here on placement. The company go out of their way to help you settle in and get established. The knowledge gained from it also is more evidence to how much you can gain from working here.

Review 12/17 for Experian QAS

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