Finance Analyst, Global Sourcing and Global Brands Supply Review

I really enjoyed my placement and the experiences it has given me. Boots is a company that fits me well and somewhere I can see myself working post university. Boots invests a lot of time and resources into us as placement students and I was given opportunities to get involved in things outside of my remit.

I felt really valued by my colleagues, never feeling like i was un-important. I was given real responsibility and opportunities to meet new people within the business. We did lots of team activities, both inside and outside of work ensuring that the team were friends rather than just colleagues. The work i did on my placement was real, and i felt like my insight and opinion were valued.

I was given a lot of support from my manager, in regular 1 to 1 catch ups and personal development sessions. I was also assigned a buddy who i could go to with any issues or queries which was really useful as i could ask them smaller questions without bothering my manager. My manager always had time if i needed it, and got involved in team activities and trips which built a better relationship between us.

I was quite busy most days, with plenty of work to be doing. If the work was in short supply at a certain time, there were a number of projects i could get involved in such as a charity ball. We were also given projects as part of our placement year that were separate to our day jobs so this took up a lot of time. I don't tend to work late or over my hours, but sometimes it is neccessary but the management are good about ensuring this doesnt become excessive.

I was given a lot of responsibility during my placement, owning a number of tasks and having people depend on me. Some of the tasks were difficult, but i had support from my manager if i needed it and from other teams within the business. I played a big role in a global project that looked to provide a consolidated view of all our markets, and i was expected to play a key part in this project regardless of the fact i was only a placement student.

The skills i developed in my day job will help me with my degree as it will provide context for a number of my modules, and help me understand the reasoning behind certain decisions within these modules. The skills i developed in our personal development sessions with the other placement students will help me back at university and in my future career as i have developed my communication skills, I better understand my working style and the style of others and i have had sessions to teach me how to coach which will be useful when managing people in my future career.

The atmosphere was fun and relaxed, but had the professional side to it too. There were lots of competitions and events ran frequentlyin the office to get involved in. There were also a lot of charity events such as a boots fun day, a children in need day and a charity ball. We had a dress-down day on a friday, which brought a more casual aspect to the office.

The scheme was well organised and had the backing of a number of senior employees who sponsored the scheme. This provided us with loads of opportunities such as overnight stays, coaching sessions, trips off site and shadowing opportunities. If we ever had any problems, there were a number of people who ran the scheme that had time for us and were dedicated to making sure we were happy.

We had sessions of things such as: Coaching Working styles and theories e.g. Belbin Forward thinking workshops Excel training SAP workshops Sessions on accounting qualifications with KAPLAN.

The job prospects are great - i have been offered a place on their graduate scheme if i want it. If i didnt want the scheme, there are also the options of having a full time level 6 role to come back to as well. The business invests a lot into the placement students and graduates, providing them with opportunities to work abroad and across the country/different businesses within Walgreens Boots Alliance.

There was a big group of placement students who tended to socialise with each other. There were nights out, meals out, day trips and many other things that we did as a group.

Nottingham is a cheap and easy place to live and work. The cost of living is less than many other cities, and the cost of socialising was quite low too.

The nightlife was really good and varied. There were loads of places to go to eat, either chains or independent restaurants. There were also lots of bars for drinks that we went to as a team. The nightlife again was varied as there are lots of different clubs that cater to different tastes so you can always find something to suit you.

Lots of opportunities to get involved with. I got involved in numerous charity projects such as a finance ball, and children in need. I also took part in an office football 5-a-side which happened weekly.