Solution Architect Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Atos,from day one I felt very welcome and comfortable in the working environment. The work that I was involved in was challenging but at the same time very interesting. Not only did I enjoy the work but I made some good friends with colleagues which I have stayed in contact with. I also had many opportunities to get an insight in to other sectors of the business which really opened my eyes to other areas that I may also be interested in. By the end of my placement I really didn't want to leave and I will certainly be looking in to returning in the future.

At my time with Atos I certainly felt as though I was a valued member of the team. This was mainly due to the amount of constructive feedback that I received. We would have weekly meetings to discuss the work that I had been doing, getting the opinion of other colleagues and looking at what was good, and what could be improved. I really felt that my colleagues wanted to make the most of my skills and knowledge whilst I was there.

The guidance that I received from management and supervisors was superb. If I had any questions or issues then all I would have to do is let them know and they would be happy to help. The response time would be very quick and everyone was very approachable. I also had a sense of freedom to get on with my work which was nice, but I knew everyone was only a message away. I could also go and visit colleagues for further help as we were all based in the same office, and if I was working from home they were just a call away.

On a daily basis I would say that I was very busy, as there was always work that I could be getting on with. If I had done my own personal tasks then I would try and help other people if they needed it, or take it in to my own hands to work on things that I thought needed doing. Being busy was certainly a positive as it made me feel as though I had really contributed to a project and made the working days very quick.

I was definitely surprised with the amount of responsibility that was given to me in my time with Atos. It was very nice to know that my manager had the trust in me to take out some important tasks and as a result this made me feel like a valued team member.

The skills and training that I received will be extremely valuable for the rest of my career. It was a great opportunity to put in to practice the skills and knowledge I had gained from my degree in a real working environment and see how they can be used. All of the work that I was involved in was related to my subject area and gaining experience in a real working environment was certainly helpful. It was also beneficial seeing how a global business like Atos operates and I learnt a lot of skills that I will be able to use in the future, both at university and in my next job. I would certainly recommend it to anyone.

The general atmosphere in the office was great. It was very relaxed and I would certainly chat and catch up with other colleagues. There were a lot of people my age, and also people starting on the same day as myself. The work space was very comfy and modern and all of the correct equipment was provided.

Even though I was only there for a short time the set up of the placement was very professional. I had inductions in my first couple of days which really helped ease me in and then at the end of my placement we had a review with some feedback.

Due to the short time that I was there I didn't experience any training or development. However after speaking to managers and graduates I do know that there is a lot of training that goes on and Atos certainly do invest in their staff.

The future employment prospects are very appealing. I met a few graduate students in my time with Atos and they spoke very highly of the scheme. I also enjoyed my time there so much that I will certainly be looking in to returning. The opportunities to progress within the business look great and the work that you'd be involved in would be very interesting. We also discussed the opportunities in returning after I graduate which went well.

I would say that there was a perfect social scene between fellow students and colleagues. We all got along and really became close friends by the end of my time. The only down side was that we never met outside of work, but that may have been because of the short time I was there.

I lived at home so can't really comment on the cost of living and socialising, however I would say that it would be the average amount compared to anywhere else.

Again I travelled to work so didn't experience a night out in the local area, however the office was based very close to a big city which I presume is a very good night out with the range of different clubs.

In my short time with Atos I didn't hear about any opportunities to get involved with activities outside of work. Im sure that there are some available and would have explored these options if I was there longer.