Trainee Logistics Industrial Placement Student Review

The job has been very enjoyable, I have been given alot of responsibility, and the staff in the office and on the warehouse floor are all very friendly.

Everybody introduced themselves to me in the early part of my placement. Everyone is very warming and there is a huge variety of people within the logistics department that I have met, and all of them have helped and guided my throughout my time here.

The management are always understandably busy, but if I have a problem they are always willing and able to help me. They speak to me a couple of times a week to see how I'm getting on with my projects, and are willing and able to listen and act on any problems that I may have.

I always have something to do, continuing with an ongoing project or helping out with a problem on the warehouse floor. There have been afternoons that have dragged on, but on the whole the balance of work and pleasure has been very good.

After a month of learning the various processes involved within the warehouse I was booking in lorry loads worth around £500 000. If you show a willing to learn and don't make any silly errors or mistakes the responsibility can become quite large.

The varied job roles that I will have had at the end of my year will give me so much experience in any future role that I have. This year is like having five different jobs rolled into one, as each department is almost like a different company. So the amount of skills I have picked up from the different people I have worked with is huge. The company also provides training and skill days to review your current skill set and improve on them, which I think will be a great help in betering myself and setting me up for the rest of my working life.

The office is quite a quiet area, although conversation is easily struck up if you feel slightly bored with your work. My projects enable me to go into the warehouse where the workers are alot louder and the 'banter' doesn't really stop. So within my role I get the best of both worlds.

The placement scheme was extremly well organised and set up. I knew exactly what I was doing before I arrived, had detailed induction days so I knew what I was doing during the year as well. I have alot of contacts within the company solely concerned with my placement, a placement officer who can deal with any problems that I may have, a 'buddy' who is someone who I met prior to starting and is someone just to talk to about anything really, there are also personel officers who are well informed about your placement, and are willing to help you with anything also.

I have several training courses scheduled for personal development over the next year. I can also do almost any training that I want that is related to the job, for instance I have already received a licence for a forklift truck after receiving training. Peugeot will also fund outside courses, for example French classes are available. So they do invest alot of time and money into their placement students as individuals.

Future employment prospects are very appealing to myself, I am enjoying myself within the organisation and would very much like to continue at Peugeot after my final year at university.

There are around 15 other placement students working for Peugeot. We arrange bowling, meals and nights out together. I meet up regularly with a student and have lunch with him in my offices canteen. Everybody gets on very well and I'm sure I'll still be speaking to some of them in 20 years time.

I commuted daily to work from around 30 miles away, but when at work the eating costs were very low in one of the subsidised canteens. Coventry is a relativelty cheap area to live and socialise in, and going out to pubs and clubs doesn't break the bank.

Coventry is surrounded by small towns with good nightlifes, so when Coventry does'nt appeal there is other places to go. But overall it is very good.

I have played cricket after work, and will play 5 a side football in the next few weeks. There is also a golf society that I am thinking of joining. So for sports it is very good, trips are arranged to places like Alton Towers within departments which is good. Activities outside of work are good to get involved with as you meet more people and build a good network of people within the company, and also make a few new mates along the way.