Assistant Commercial Manager Review

My placement was very enjoyable from the start to the finish. Working as a commercial manager meant that I was based out on site and I was fortunate enough to be based on a very exciting project. The project team itself was very friendly and the office as a collective had a very good vibe.

I did feel valued by my colleagues as they found time in their day to help me with work when I needed it as well as included my as part of the team. I felt as though I built up mutual respect between myself and colleagues during my placement.

Everyone involved in the project team was supportive and invested their time into helping me when I needed it. This wasn't just the commercial team that I was working within, this expanded out across the project team as a whole. My actual line manager gave me all the help and support I needed - and always made me feel comfortable asking questions however stupid I thought they were! My buddy, a graduate on the project was also very friendly and extremely helpful as he was able to give a lot of advice, as was in a similar position to me when he first joined the graduate scheme.

Workload on a day to day basis fluctuated, some days I was busy trying to get different pieces of work done, however other days when workload was a bit quiet, it was about making sure that I continued with work that had a longer deadline or making sure i was doing something constructive.

The amount of responsibility given to me increased throughout my placement, initially the amount of responsibility was relatively low, which was expected as I was new to the project and therefore had to develop a rapport with colleagues. However, by producing good work and meeting deadlines on time, my responsibility grew.

The placement gave me a much better understanding of technical aspects that I learnt at university, as I was able to put into practice what I learnt. It also further developed my understand of what role entails and helped to improve my organisational and time management skills.

I was very lucky as the office I was involved in had a very good atmosphere the majority of the time, so therefore it was a fun environment to work in. Everyone got involved in things and as a collect we always had a good laugh.

On the first day i arrived, i had all the things that I needed, such as a desk, laptop, log in, email all set up, as well as a works phone which I was certainly not expecting so was a nice bonus. Throughout the placement, things ran very smoothly, my line manager was excellent and enabled me to gain exposure to a wide range of different experiences.

There were on-line E modules which were on basic topics. Mace did also help and pay for me to obtain my CSCS card so that I was allowed onto site.

Employment prospects after the placement are certainly very appealing, with the graduate scheme being regarded highly and something which I am keen to be part of.

The office was very social, with people often going to the local pub on a Friday which was an open invite to everyone in the office. In regards to fellow placement students, several drink events got arranged so that everyone could chat about how things were going etc.

I lived at home and commuted to work. Socialising can become expensive however it is kind of expected due to being based in London, and there are always cheaper alternatives that are normally just as good.

London, has a huge amount to offer, whether it is a quiet night with a few friends, or a a full night out. Also with the use of the tubes, it is easy to access any part of it relatively cheaply.

There were social activities outside of work, such a charity runs, bike rides and also volunteering.