Commericial Activities Industial Placement Review

Working at PSA was hugely enjoyable- it exceeded my expectations both on the quality of the work placement and the opportunities I was given during my time here. I couldn't praise the team there enough for making sure that I was happy in what I was doing and ensuring that I was making the most of everything I could.

As placement students come into the company every year, everyone there is very much aware of you and your value to the company. This means that the people you work with want your input and opinions- you are just as needed as everyone else in the company and I felt that this was very apparent from day one.

As I worked very closely with my manager on a day-to-day basis, I felt that the level of support and guidance I received was high. As I progressed and became more confident in what I was doing, I was given guidance on new routes for learning and involvement within the company and support in doing so- therefore it wasn't just day to day support, but also for longer term progression.

As with many jobs, how busy I was changed day-to-day or even hour to hour. It was a role that was very fast paced and responsive in some ways- especially working with our agencies- and more long term project based in other ways. Therefore there was always something to be doing and I never felt as though I was bored. During busy times of the month, there are many urgent things to be done, which means prioritisation and organisation were key; however I was never given too much to cope with and very much enjoyed these times.

Each placement is a full time role that needs a person to fulfil it- therefore I had a great level of responsibility. You are accountable for your own work and responsible for ensuring that you deliver targets and deadlines on time and to the best standard. Much of the work I produced went on to be shared and used by other departments, high levels of management, or out into the public domain and so the levels of responsibility here are very high. You are trusted to carry out your role and the more you prove that you're capable, you can earn greater levels of responsibility.

Many of the skills that I've learnt this year- esoecially communication, critical thinking, initiative and organisation- will help me in both my final year work and, hopefully, gaining graduate employment. Having real world experience and proven development of skills will go a long way when applying for jobs. I have also used my year here as inspiration for my dissertation and have began working on it during my time here in order to get a head start.

As an open plan office, the atmosphere is open and friendly where you can happily find people you need and talk to them without worrying that you are disturbing others around you. Everyone is always very friendly and there is a real feel of camaraderie as many people have worked together in the company for years.

The team that are responsible for the placement are excellent- they have been recruiting placement students for years, and so due to their vast experience, it is very well set up. From recruitment right through until the end of my year with them, the placement ran smoothly without a hitch.

Throughout the year I had 3 official placement training days where an outside specialist was brought in to run the sessions. They covered a range of topics including managing others, working within a team and managing yourself. I also had online access to university and language courses through the company.

The graduate scheme here is very appealing and across the business they try to always recruit those from within the company into vacancies. It depends on business needs as to how many graduates they recruit each year.

There are 7 other placement students that I work with along with numerous new graduates, existing graduates, French interns and business apprentices- therefore there is a big group of young people with which to socialise. Everyone makes friends very quickly and so the social scene is very good. Often there are days/nights out and activities organised for those who want to join in which are always brilliant fun

My cost of living was a lot lower that at university in terms of rent as well as petrol. Other costs of living, such as food, clothing, eating out and activities were similar to what I was used to. Overall I spent less money than I thought I was going to.

As a student city, Coventry does benefit from a number of bars and one main nightclub. However Leamington Spa is very nearby with a great nightlife and so there is something to suit everyone in the area. It is more expensive than what I am used to as it doesn't benefit from as big of a student population as my university.

There is a social committee who often organise activities, such as shopping trips, laser quest and quiz nights which give you a chance to meet new people and relax. They're very good value for money and are always really good fun.