Customer Supply Coordinator Review

My Placement at P&G was a fantastic experience that has prepared me significantly for the future. It has enabled me to develop vital transferrable skills, built my confidence, grown my knowledge of supply chain management and customer service and was ultimately a fun and enjoyable year.

I felt extremely valued and respected by all colleagues and I was treated as more than just a placement student. This was an important factor for me and enabled me to easily settle into a working environment within a large organisation. I felt comfortable and able to ask questions to my colleagues who were always willing to help. As a result, I have made some great lasting friendships.

I had a number of different managers during my placement which was slightly unsettling at first. However I was valued as an employee and was given all the support I needed. In terms of personal development, I was given the freedom to take on additional projects alongside my core role and was always encouraged to get involved in additional projects and activities that would provide me with additional experience and skills. My manager even provided me with support in my final year of university allowing me to conduct an interview for my dissertation.

The nature of the role ensured I was very busy on a daily basis. This meant I had to effectively manage my time and ensure that deadlines and daily cycles were successfully met. The fact that this role was so varied and at times challenging meant I always had something to do. This was one of the best things about this role, a busy schedule meant I learnt quickly and learnt new things every day.

Being a customer centred role I was given huge responsibility which in turn enabled me to grow my confidence and customer service skills. I managed a large retailer on my own, and another within a team, something I did not expect as a placement student.

Throughout my placement, P&G provided considerable trainings that are applicable to any job or career. From presentation and communication skills, to specific system and process knowledge. The importance of time management and deadlines helped me in my final year of study and the transferable skills such as customer service, project management and team work skills will help considerably in my future career.

The office was always a busy and fun environment to be in. There was never a dull day at work and the team were always fun to work with!

The placement set up was seamless. I had all the information I needed before starting. In terms of the 2 week onboarding, I personally feel I learn better doing rather than listening. However I appreciate that classroom onboarding is necessary for this type of role.

As a placement student I was given the same guidance and support as all other full time employees. I had a workplan to work towards and goals to achieve which was great for my personal development and these goals were reviewed on a monthly basis by my manager. There were a considerable amount of trainings and courses available for me to attend which were varied and useful for both my role and for the future.

From my placement experience the opportunity to work within the organisation in the future was very appealing. I was offered a graduate position within P&G which I accepted.

Having 7 other placement students in the same department made the placement extremely social with regular nights out. The team I was working in were always up for social acitivties such as drinks, meals and nights out.

Newcastle is a great city for socialising and very reasonably priced.

The nightlife is great in Newcastle. With lots of bars and nightclubs it is the perfect place for students!

As previously mentioned there were regular social activities planned outside of work such as meals and nights out. There was also opportunities such as team building days at the beginning of my placement which were the perfect opportunity to get to know the team better!