This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I have really enjoyed my placement here, the culture within the company and the friendliness of its staff have really helped to make the placement enjoyable.
Within my role I have been able to implement new processes and solutions, and so my colleagues have recognised this and have treated me as a needed member of their team.
My manager has been very supportive during my placement and has allowed me to attend different training courses and have exposure to various people around the business; his support has enabled me to further develop various skillsets and gain an insight into future career opportunities.
Depending on the date in the month and the business of the month, there would be times when it was extremely full on and other days when it is much more balanced. Overall though I feel I was very busy during my placement, but my manager has been able to recognise when I have put in an extra shift and has praised/thanked me because of this.
The responsibility built up over the year and my line manager allowed me to take control of certain aspects; this meant that I would be responsible for developing reports and then presenting them to senior management. I feel that I have been given a lot of responsibility during my placement, but was also supported along the way by my colleagues if I had any kind of issue that I needed to discuss.
I come from a slightly different work background to what my placement role has been centred around, so through this I have been able to gain skills in areas that otherwise may have been neglected and I have also developed many transferable skills, such as presenting and communicating, that I feel will greatly assist in future roles.
The Company
The atmosphere in the office has been really good, my colleagues have been extremely supportive and friendly, and I have been able to take part in events and activities with them.
I feel that the placement was very well organised overall, I had the opportunity to arrange meetings with my line manager regarding my development, and various training courses, including Excel and presenting, had been set up for me to attend. The HR department provided me with a clear understanding of my first few weeks within the office, my line manager ensured that I understood what was expected of me, and I had various work and personal objectives to work towards that were put together following a discussion between my line manager and I.
During my placement I have been able to progress my development and skillsets by attending various training courses. Volkswagen Group do not commit to providing you with a graduate role after the placement but they can fast-track the process; for me this the only real negative to an extremely enjoyable and successful placement.
Subsidised Canteen
Company Car
International Travel
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Above 25 days holiday
Volkswagen Group have a very appealing graduate scheme that I would love to be able to secure a role on; other than this they have entry level roles that also offer a competive salary and company car. Due to the culture of the organisation and the competitiveness of its employment opportunities, the employment prospects are very appealing.
The Culture
The social scene with other placement students was good, and there were many opportunities to socialise with them.
The cost of living and socialising was average, it wasn't too different to university pricewise but as there isn't a student scene in Milton Keynes it was fairly difficult to secure accommodation.
The nightlife in Milton Keynes is ok, there's a few bars but not much more.
There were quite a few activities taking place outside of work, such as organised football matches within the company, and there were also many charity events throughout my placement year.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
London
June 2016