Technical Sales Leadership Support Review

I enjoyed my Placement Year with IBM very much - it was full of learning & development opportunities, both within my day-to-day job responsibilities as well as with extracurricular which were accessible and clear. I have achieved my personal goals that I wanted to achieve - such as developing new skills (coding, data analysis). Sometimes I felt challenged when working on a big tasks, feeling like I did not know where to find information or where to start - however with the help of my managers and colleagues I was always able to cope with it, one step at a time. Huge learning experience which now makes me feel prepared to take the next step in my career.

I felt valued by my colleagues very much. IBM has an inclusive culture, respect is one of its main pillars. Throughout the Placement Year, I felt valued & appreciated by fellow interns as well as my managers.

I was given support and guidance wherever I wanted to clarify something I was not sure about. I also received feedback on my work which is a good indication of the progress I have made, as well as identifying gaps in development. Where I was wrong I was also corrected, allowing me to do my job better. What I realized is to never be afraid to ask or clarify something, and that people are always willing to help.

In busier periods (e.g. nearing an event), I was very busy. At other times, I was significantly less busy. These periods were useful to complete some learning such as coding/ excel classes/ learning about blockchain, big data, recent technological developments.

I feel I was given a lot of responsibility during the placement, being behind the logistics of many projects. On one of my projects, I was also able to show initiative within my team and implement many of my ideas on how to proceed.

I feel like the skills I developed during my Placement Year are invaluable in my studies and beyond; not only I developed professionally but also personally. I feel more confident in my skills now, knowing that I have tangible experience to back them up. I got loads of examples of projects I have done and training sessions undertaken.

The atmosphere is great, with a big group of fellow interns it was really easy to make new friends and get involved in various projects or events.

The Placement Year set-up is very well organised, from the first induction days, with regular reviews and feedback, up to the last arrangements regarding your leaving date. There is also a database of information where you can get help & advice on how to prepare for your reviews, as well as many sources you can access whenever you need to find certain information.

I felt in terms of my personal training and development, I had lots of resources available to develop new skills and capabilities. I also had the opportunity to attend international events while on my placement.

Very appealing, I am planning to apply back as a graduate.

The social scene among fellow students and colleagues has been great - we have developed strong friendships.

Cost of living and socializing was higher than average, as expected in London.

Nightlife was awesome - London has lots to offer, regardless of the area you choose to live in.

Endless opportunities, there is always something happening, and with a big group of fellow interns I never felt like missing out.