Internship Review at Standard Life

The Role

Role Description

8 weeks working on a report which explored a specific topic chosen by the company. This report fulfilled the academic requirements for completion of my Management Research Report for my Human Resource Management MSc and also was a useful piece of research for the HR Department within the company. Unpaid work placement.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I was given the freedom to organise my own time which made the experience non-stressful and gave me time to interact and meet with people in the department where appropriate for my project.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I was always told that the work I was undertaking would be of use to the department and that they valued my research and insight.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Management were very helpful with finding me the information I needed to complete the project. At times it was difficult as I am not an employee and negotiating levels of access was a slight issue, but for the most part this was not a problem. I really appreciated the support which was also given to me regarding other areas of my MSc course outwith the project I was doing for the company.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I was given the freedom to organise my own time and to structure my research project as I wished. Mostly this worked out fine, especially as the company understood that for certain days my time was better spent working on the research project from home or at my University.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Due to the nature of the placement, my time was mostly spent undertaking the research project for the company. I appreciated the responsibility which was given to me regarding organising my own time; however no other responsibilities were given to me, perhaps because of the nature of the placement being for my Management Research Report and a piece of academic research.

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

The experience of working within an HR department was a greatly valuable experience to see how the theoretical information gained through my University studies can be applied to 'live' situations.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Almost everyone I came into contact with seemed busy and engaged in the work they were completing, and very passionate and knowledgeable about their area, creating a hard-working and buzzing atmosphere.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Mostly the work placement was run well, especially as I respond well to being able to manage my own time. There were some occasions when communication with management about the project was difficult to achieve as they were out of the office, but other people were usually able to help instead.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

When I requested if I would be able to meet with people from different areas of the department to get a broader insight the company were very helpful in facilitating thie interaction; however I would suggest that in future this becomes an integrated part of an MSc work placement from the start.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

• Subsidised Canteen

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

There was the opportunity to meet with employees on the graduate schemes within the company.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I live in Edinburgh so I was already aware of the living costs and socialising opportunities.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Edinburgh has an extensive and varied nightlife scene.

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

★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 1/10

No, but this was because of the short nature of my work placement and also because it was focused around a research project rather than undertaking specific tasks within the department.

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?

Standard Life are a very good company to undertake your Management Research Report (for CIPD accredited HRM PGDip/MSc courses). They provided me with an interesting research project which I was very happy to undertake and will be of actual use to the company. Everyone was very welcoming and appreciative of the demands of doing a work placement during the academic term.

Review 7/26 for Standard Life

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