Asset Risk Analyst Review

I enjoyed all aspects of my placement, as i had a large number of opportunities to learn and develop. I had a number of experiences that i probably would not have had if i wasn't working at VWFS. There were no parts of my role that i largely did not enjoy or found boring.

The majority of my colleagues recognised that i was another integral member of the team and was capable of producing the level of work required. On occasions, i was given tasks that were outside of my job description and that made me feel valued as it was clear they trusted me with the responsibility of undertaking additional work. There were a few times i felt as if i was 'just an undergrad' but these were definitely outweighed by the way most people valued me.

I felt that the level of support i received throughout my placement was excellent - from the very beginning i was walked through what i was going to be doing when at first i didn't quite know what the role entailed. Even when there was more autonomy i was still able to ask for assistance and guidance from my peers. This also worked both ways, as i was able to support others and provide guidance to new starters.

In the first few weeks, there was not much to do as i was still learning the basics. However, the workload quickly built up and i was able to carry out numerous tasks within a month. As the placement progressed, the additional workload meant i was always busy, working towards ever changing deadlines and completing ad-hoc work where necessary. There was never a time where i was bored/not doing something productive.

The responsibility i was given steadily increased as my placement progressed. As my colleagues recognised i was able and willing to attempt any work presented to me, they also gave me greater responsibility. This ranged from basic things such as demonstrator vehicle handovers, all the way up to being the main point of contact with external organisations. The added responsibility definitely made me feel valued and showed that i was doing a good job.

On a technical level, the progress i have made with programs such as Excel and VBA will enable me to transfer my skills into other jobs throughout my career. The course i was able to complete showed me just how much there was to learn about Excel, and already has enabled me to implement useful practices in my daily tasks. On a personal level, i have become more confident and i can present in front of a group of people competently, something i would have been nervous about previously. I also believe that my general professionalism and business etiquette has improved; my previous work experience has never required communication to senior management or board level individuals.

The atmosphere and company culture in the office is amazing - i have not experienced an office that has as much fun and is as relaxed as at VWFS. Even during tougher times, the morale of all employees was high and everything carried on as normal. There are many social events and out-of-office opportunities to get involved in, which are usually well organised by the company.

The placement set up was good - there was numerous meetings with HR to ensure everybody was getting on okay. The workloads were left more to the individual departments to determine, as the tasks undertaken were specific to each role. The company was flexible in terms of start dates and end dates, which i was able to extend for another month. The organisation was very accommodating throughout.

Most of the personal development i recieved was on a day to day basis, learning the role from colleagues who had several years of experience of the industry. As for additional training, the company provides opportunities for a range of courses, from Excel (level 1, 2 and 3) to presentation skills. I completed the excel level 3 course and felt that it was particularly insightful and helpful to my role, and was free of charge. I would recommend doing those courses to anyone on placement at VWFS, whether it be in my role or a different one.

I believe that while there may not be a job available for my particular role, i would be able to get a job within the organisation somewhere. There are other people currently working at VWFS who themselves have previously completed placement years. There are also people who have gone straight into the company at the age of 18 and worked their way up to higher positions. For this reason, i am confident that there are appealing prospects within VWFS.

As there was a number of us on placement at the same time (14), we were able to socialise outside of work. This ranged from simply having a meal together to full blown nights out in Milton Keynes (although i wouldn't recommend this as an exciting night out). Many of the students also enjoyed social activities with their work colleagues, as the culture of the organisation promoted a family-like environment.

The accommodation costs in Milton Keynes may seem considerably more than anywhere up North, but compared to London the prices weren't too bad. Rent was around £400/£450 a month each for a decent sized house, and the salary provided by VWFS more than covered it. Food and drink could be expensive in certain places but most pubs etc were fairly normal prices. I wouldn't be too worried about the price of the area.

The nightlife in Milton Keynes is pretty bad - there are a few places but because the town is set out in a grid system, there is no city centre. The 'Hub' has places to eat and bars, but the place has no soul. If you venture out to London or Northampton then the nights out are much better, but logistically this can prove difficult if you don't have somewhere to stay overnight. Just save your money!

There were plenty of opportunities to get involved with activities outside of work; i personally took part in a Dragonboat race for charity, which was pretty fun. There are also cinema nights, trips abroad and other events which are posted on the organisation's intranet for anyone to attend.