Service Delivery Management Placement Review

I have really enjoyed my experience at Fujitsu as it has really gave me a true insight into the business world. I have expanded my network immensely and have had so many brilliant opportunities outside my job role while working within the company. I will definitely be applying to the Graduate Scheme.

From the very first day in the office, everyone on the account was very welcoming and friendly, and throughout my year if I have ever had any queries or needed help with anything everyone was more than happy to help. Also I have received 5 STARS (Shaping Tomorrow Awards and Recognition Scheme) which are nominated by your colleges, and that has really made me feel valued.

I feel that I was given sufficient support and guidance by management, and I was surprised that at the start of the year my manager actually asked me what I would like to get out of the placement, rather than just telling me what I should do. I really liked the flexibility to explore all options and get a broad experience.

To be honest, it really varied from day to day especially at the beginning. Some days were quiet, and some days were very busy. But as time went on I had weekly calls and meetings and then was given a project to manage so since then I have always been busy enough. I think overall its natural for it to fluctuate unless you are doing the exact same thing every day, and with service delivery there's always something new.

I think I was given quite a lot of responsibility, as I support and manage the network services provided to Fujitsu by suppliers. I was also given a project to manage which involves presenting weekly updates to our customer and communicating on a weekly basis with suppliers and development teams to ensure everything is on track.

I think the skills and knowledge I have developed throughout my year will assist me firstly in my degree studies due to having real life experience of the business world and being able to relate theories and information to real life situations. It will also assist me when it comes to applying for a Graduate Job as I have so much more experiences and skills to talk about in an interview.

The atmosphere was very friendly and welcoming, and remained like this throughout the year even despite the seating arrangements being completely changed half way through the year which in a business environment can sometimes cause annoyance. The account really felt like a community, which provided a lot of support for me having to move away from home for my placement.

As I was a new Industrial Placement student and was not taking over from anyone else, it was probably less organised than others as I didn't have a set job role. But this also meant I had time to settle in and gradually be given work and responsibility which was definitely a lot less pressured than someone handing over their work in the space of a few days. Also its worth noting that as soon as I arrived on the first day I had a laptop and work phone already ordered and sitting ready for me, so it was organised to an extent.

There were various opportunities that I pursued across the year which involved company investment, as at the beginning I volunteered to take part in creating a Fujitsu endorsed qualification which involved travelling to London on a weekly basis which Fujitsu funded. I also participated in the 'Hour of Code' course which Fujitsu ran internally to give people the opportunity to learn the basics of coding, which I found very insightful.

The future employment prospects are very appealing, and I am definitely applying to the Graduate scheme in Service Delivery Management once I finish my degree. As an industrial placement student Fujitsu really encourage you to get the most out of your experience and seem quite flexible in catering to your interests along the way. I really appreciated this as service delivery management is quite a wide role and can vary depending on what side of the business you are on.

At the office where I was based there were 4 other industrial placement students, and we arranged several social events outside work. There was also a Christmas staff party for the account and also IP events throughout the year where we usually arranged to meet up for a meal and a few drinks either the night before or after the event.

My rent in Birmingham City centre was £440 without bills which wasn't too bad considering the house was lovely (I house shared with 3 other people) and it was within a 15 minute walk of New Street Station. The cost of socialising was average I'd say, and if you look out for deals on food and drink it could actually be quite cheap.

The nightlife in Birmingham is great, as Broad Street and Brindley place are full of places to go for drinks and clubs to go to. Most places are within walking distance of each other which is handy for when you don't know where to go. My only advice would be to be careful walking along the canal as there is no railings and for some people that may be a disaster for them.

There were various opportunities to get involved in activities outside work, from the weekly wednesday football match to more business orientated networking events (although most held in London). There are also plenty of opportunities to get involved in things outside of your job role which is how I ended up expanding my network so much.