Undergraduate Review

It was very enjoyable, the staff I was working with were helpful and friendly and a unique group of people. My other placement and graduate colleagues were very approachable and we were able to organise multiple outings between us. The work itself was challenging but rewarding allowing me to use my problem solving skills to my advantage in tasks.

I was able to take part in a wide variety of tasks from simple data processing to high level analysis working alongside team leads. I was considered a valuable member of the team and knowledge I had gained throughout the placement was sought after by the members of my team. This improved my confidence and allowed me to take part in more complex tasks.

The management was very friendly and had a focus on my development, I was set objectives throughout my placement and given targets to meet on time. Also in terms of moving to a new area there was plenty of help with what is in the local area and locations worth visiting etc. When doing tasks I was able to either work on my own using my own skills to complete the problem or I was able to talk to the multitude of experts in the department about the challenges I was tackling.

There were highs and lows, the department I was a part of relied on providing a service to other departments so the rate of work could change on a weekly bases. Also forward planning was difficult as you did not know what type of work you would be doing in a months time. However this did add a sense of uniqueness to the placement and excitement thinking about the new tasks ahead.

In terms of logical problem solving this placement has helped dramatically, helping me understand the bigger picture of problems and how I can use what data I have to reach conclusions and provide advice. Also the computer skills I was able to learn such as MATLAB were very transferrable into my degree. However the technical knowledge was not that relevant in my university studies.

It was a fairly quiet office, with multiple departments inside it. This was mainly due to the quiet working ethic of the people within it. However there were some graduates working near me who I was able to talk to and take breaks with. The people themselves were very friendly and helpful, questions such as finding the stationary cupboard or who to ask about printing could be asked to anyone in the office and they would help.

There has been a lot of thought put into the development program. including forums where senior members give talks on the wider company and we are able to network with colleagues. In terms of the work schedule due to the nature of my department it was difficult to know what work would be happening in advance but the management had prepared it so that there was enough for me to do even during a slow period.

There was minimal training provided by the company. Placement students do not get a training budget so are not able to use the language learning classes or any internal or external courses. I was lucky in the fact my department ran some courses which I was allowed to take part in but the lack of ability to learn about other aspects of the company or undergo specific training was disappointing.

Being only 30 minutes from London housing was not cheap, I was paying £450 in rent every month without bills and I was sharing a house with 2 others. Socialising was cheaper however the general price of travel did not help as most journeys involved passing through a London terminal increasing the price.