Personal Telecoms Intern Review

I have enjoyed the majority of my work placement and have had a lot of opportunities to work on a variety of projects where I was allowed to try new things and improve and develop new skills. I have had the chance to choose my own projects that allows me to do things that I enjoy.

I have always felt valued by my colleagues from day 1. Even when I started and I was finding my feet, they helped me to learn the things I needed to do my job initially. As I became more experienced and familiar with the company I was regularly contacted to help with various tasks and always thanked for my assistance.

I have always felt like I had a support network and when I started I was introduced to people who I could go to with concerns and questions. Some of these people became mentors through the year and gave me valuable advice when I did not want to ask my manager. My manager himself was unfortunately very busy throughout my placement and I did not see him as much as I would have liked. None the less, when he was in he provided good advice and honest feedback which was very valuable, his absence also encouraged me to be confident and speak to others for help as well as trusting my own judgement on decisions.

As with most jobs I suspect there are always quiet and busy times varying on what is currently happening within the business. I experienced times where I was incredibly busy, but also times when I had very little to do but for the most part I found the work to be steady enough to keep me busy for most of the week but I still found myself to have spare time which i used to further my personal development which suited me fine.

Generally I was given a fair amount of responsibility and was expected to be an active part in a number of projects. The projects I worked on alone did allow me to work on cost savings in a low risk environment. My input was always asked for and taken into account however I did not ever lead my own team or work on anything that could have been considered high risk that required me to have a large amount of responsibility.

This is yet to be determined as I am due to return to university later this year. Personally I feel I gained an understanding of the real work working environment as opposed to many technical skills. I understand more fully how a large business operates and gained many soft skills that no doubt will help me with my studies and further on into my post graduate career.

To begin with it was quite difficult as I was the only female in a male office that was mostly filled with middle aged men and 2 young male interns so it was initially hard to gel. However as we all became more comfortable with each other and got to know each other it was very relaxed. Everyone was very supportive of each other and fairly laid back. It was easy to exchange jokes and banter with no fear of someone taking offensive and we all became very close. The people in my office really made my intership.

The internship from what i can tell was very well organised. Contracts were sorted quickly and it was easy to get set up on the network within the business. When I started I was immediately given 2 projects that were hand overs from the previous interns and my manager was very adept at settling in a new intern as he had had many interns previously.

The company invests heavily into the intern program as it is used as a feeder program for the graduate scheme. I was sent on a 3 day training course early into my internship to gain an ITIL qualification which is a common qualification in end user support and generally in IT service provision. The business requires us to do 20 hours of technical development which I used to learn Python,

Honestly, not even a little. While I have enjoyed aspects of my internship the graduate scheme does not interest me. I do not feel I would personally enjoy it despite its merits, more than that, I generally dislike the large corporation feel. I do not want to become lost in a business and I want to have a career where I know what I am doing is helping others and not just shareholders. This is not a personal dig at GE but my feelings about large business as a whole and many that I know on the program love it but I do not think it is for me.

The social life was not bad but then neither was it great. It was difficult to make friends at work and while Bristol has a lot to offer it was difficult to find people at work who shared my interests. I have been out a few times with interns from other departments but I suppose the social scene is not why you do a placement.

The costs were not extortionate, I was a lodger and paid £350 per month, the bus is reasonably priced for students but unreliable so getting around can be difficult. There is a lot to do in the area and many green spaces to enjoy but most things you still had to pay for, these were priced more or less as you would expect to find anywhere else.

As mentioned, it was difficult to make friends initially. I know Bristol is fairly good for nightlife but I did not go out much as it isn't really my scene. I often went to the cinema or out for dinner and drinks with friends which was nice enough as there is a lot of variety in these areas but I can't say I ever went clubbing so I can't really comment on this aspect.

There is loads to do around Bristol but in relation to doing this with work I found it quite limited. There were work football sessions which do not interest me and occasionally yoga but I was not aware of anything else. In terms of other activities as mentioned there is lots to do and try in Bristol, if you have an interest or hobby there will certainly be a group for you to join.