Industrial Trainee - Decision Support Centre of Excellence Review

My placement was very enjoyable, as it offered a wide range of activities and opportunities to grow and develop. From the beginning I was welcomed in and made to feel like one of the team, and I was offered great support throughout the year that has been very beneficial to my learning and development.

My colleagues placed value on me from the beginning and welcomed me in to be made to feel like one of the team. I was treat with respect and was offered help and guidance when it was needed. The social element of the team was also brilliant, with a good amount of opportunities to enjoy time together on a level that was not work-focused.

I was encouraged to be independent in my learning and problem solving which was at first difficult. However, I was given support and guidance to best learn how to do this, as well is being helped if ever I was struggling. Looking back on this support now, I can understand how valuable it was in my development of the course of the year.

My workload would vary depending upon peaks and troughs in terms of ongoing projects, activities, budget and forecast cycles and close of financial periods. However, when compared to the rest of the department my workload was fairly comparable (i.e. very similar through busy and quieter times).

From very early on in my placement, I was challenged by being thrown in the deep end and taking full responsibility for financial reporting for different entities, to the point of being the primary contact point for reports and queries and managing the relationship between the department and our customers.

Throughout the course of the year, I was able to become involved with several projects and activities that tested and developed various skills and qualities including teamworking, communication, collaboration and a focus on continous improvement. My experiences have given me many learning points that I can take away and apply to my studies and in my future work career.

The team within my department was relatively young, so the atmosphere was rather relaxed and we were able to laugh and joke quite frequently.

I felt that my role and position within the department was made clear from the beginning, so I didn't find myself floating around not knowing what to do at all. The only thing is that within this department, the intern position relies quite strongly upon the support of a senior manager. Although I was not directly impacted, changes within the department could be potentially unsettling if an intern has to move between colleagues.

The leader of the department is very invested in the development of the industrial trainees and ensures that interns are given the best opportunities to grow and develop by placing them under experienced colleagues. Support and developed was also offered by the rest of the team, which allowed me to gain broadness and depth of experience in the role.

I feel as though I am in a very strong position to return to a role within Pfizer following graduation. With the development of the graduate scheme, and a high retention rate of previous interns, I feel as though the opportunity is available for me to return the company, and this is definitely something I would consider.

HR are very good at connecting interns prior to placement. A Facebook group was set up to make introductions, with the option of arranging housing as well. I made good friends with other interns through organsied events for interns and through the gym. However, the increased workload and responsibility of my department comapred to other meant that I had less time to socialise with the other interns in other departments.

I was living just outside of Redhill, which was relatively cheap for rent with easy access to services and transport links to London and Brighton. There is also a free shuttle bus service to and from the office with pick up and drop off next to the station. There are very few opportunities for socialising in Redhill, so I often tended to travel to Croydon or Central London to meet and socialise with friends.

There are a few pubs in Redhill, but there is no real nightlife in the area as such. Again, I would explore more of central London for nightlife.

On a quarterly basis, the department would engage in a social activity and team building exercise which was always enjoyable. There is also an annual summer event with a food and entertainment on site for all colleagues to participate in.