Summer Scheme Student Review

This placement has given me a great chance to find out what it is like to work in the planning sector by giving me experience of a range of tasks that colleagues usually do. I enjoyed helping out with tasks that graduates usually do but also got the chance to work with directors and work closely with clients. It would have been nice to get more involved in some bigger projects but monitoring sites and reading planning applications for these sorts of sites and researching and writing my own appraisals and planning statements for smaller sites has shown me that planners work on projects of varying sizes and has enabled me to see some projects through in the time I have been with the company.

Throughout the placement I was treated as one of the team and included in social activities etc. I was able to join in with meetings with clients and colleagues. All my efforts were well received by colleagues and I was thanked for my hard work. I felt that I was a valued member of the team most of the time rather than a visitor. Of course, only being in the office for four weeks meant I had not spent as much time with the team as others but efforts were made to help me feel like part of the team.

On my first day I was greeted by my mentor who I regularly kept in contact with. She was able to offer me support with work projects but also helped with useful tips. Knowing the rest of the team from previous work experience in the office meant there were many others I could go to for help. I found all colleagues helpful and supportive with both the others in my teams and others in other departments helping me whenever necessary so that I could get the most out of my placement. Advice was also given for the longer term development of my career which has helped me to understand useful things I could do to enhance my employability.

I will be starting studying an MSc in Planning following my previous studies in Geography. As such, I only have limited knowledge of the planning sector at present but this work has enabled me to develop these skills. I have no doubt that what I have been learning about and working on will help me with me future studies by getting me off to a good start with the new course. I believe that the skills I have learnt and developed will also enhance my future employability and hopefully enable to access a greater range of jobs.

My placement was well structured. Before my first day I was sent details of where I would be working, who my mentor was and some of the activities I would be taking part over the four weeks. This meant that I already had some idea of what I would be doing during the placement. I was always informed in advance, although sometimes only briefly, of any meetings or that I would be involved in. Plenty of work was organised for me so that I could get involved but at my level of understanding. Social activities were also arranged which I could take part in. I rarely felt that I had nothing to do as I worked with different members of the team as well as having a project to be completed for the graduate team which I could do in quiet moments.

The office was always busy whilst I was on my placement. Although at times this meant that I felt uneasy asking colleagues to explain complicated things as they had other work to do it did mean that there was always something for me to get involved in rather than just sitting around. I found everyone to be helpful and whenever I needed to ask about something I was well received and helped out. the whole office was very approachable and I was able to speak to almost everyone there; people made time for me even though they were busy. This meant that I learnt a lot and felt comfortable working in the office.

My mentor and other colleagues made sure that I had enough understanding to work on the projects I was involved with. presentations teaching about other departments within the company were also available to attend virtually which meant I found out more about the company as a whole. I did not receive much training but this was largely because I already had the skills needed or there was not sufficient time to demonstrate complex tasks.

I largely did the same kind of work that colleagues do on a daily basis. This enabled me to find out about what it would be like to work for the company full-time and also showed me the broad types of work which all planners do. Graduates and other planners working in the office, as well as presentations I listened to, informed me of training etc provided to new employees and showed what it is really like to work for the company.

Whilst on my placement I was involved in meetings with colleagues as well as clients. This showed me that employees are expected to work hard but that everyone supports each other and uses their experience to benefit others. I also attended social events which highlighted that the company has a sociable culture making time to have fun as well as working hard on projects for clients. Working in the office for longer would have enabled me to find out more about the company culture but I spoke to many different people and so got a good idea of what it is like.

Spending four weeks working as a planner showed me what it is like to work in this sector and confirmed that I would like to do this in the future. I was not able to get involved in all the work going on in the office due to time constraints and my limited technical knowledge. This has provided me with a good incentive to study planning so that I can find out more and hopefully ultimately find a job in the sector.

Social activities were arranged on numerous occasions which gave me the chance to network with colleagues and people working in other departments and offices. In total there were probably 5-6 events during the four weeks.

Events were enjoyable although at times it was uncomfortable as everyone else knew each other really well. However everyone was nice and helped me feel like part of the team. There was always the option to attend for as long as I wanted and leave if I had had enough or had other commitments.

Some activities were mentioned and people spoke of groups they were involved in. More could have been made of the opportunities available.

Yes. I gained a lot from the experience and feel that it has benefitted me personally and professionally. I did the same placement last year and really enjoyed coming back. I gained a lot both times I worked in the office developing my skills and learning a lot. I would recommend this placement to anyone thinking of working in property in the future, either as a lanner or developer, as I think it was a great experience.