Industry Analyst Review

I have greatly enjoyed working at IBM over the past year and would recommend it to anyone. Being at IBM has enabled me to gain an insight into how a large corporation runs and has presented me with numerous opportunities to develop my knowledge and skills. During this placement year I have been able to get involved in many different projects in different industries thus enabling me to see where my interests best align.

IBM values each employee as much as the next, no matter your position. Over the past year I feel as if I have become a trusted and valued member of my team who is supported by everyone around me, as they all offer their help and support whenever they can.

I can honestly say I would not have developed my skills and knowledge to this extent without the support from my manager. My manager was always at hand to answer any of my questions and ensure I understood and was there to guide me in taking the most of the opportunities available to me. However, they also gave me enough independence to figure a lot of things out on my own which I greatly appreciated, as it made me feel like a real member of the team

How busy I was varied from day-to-day as I had some days where I had multiple tasks to complete and numerous ad hoc requests coming in from my team members. However, there were other days where I had little do so I had to ask the members of my team and people outside of my team if they needed any help or support on a project.

I was given a surprising amount of responsibility in my role as I managed the whole teams operational data, meaning that I handled sensitive data on a daily basis and had to ensure that in was accurate and delivered in a timely manner. This seemed daunting at first however I soon got used to it and it made me feel like a valued and important member of the team.

The skills that I have developed over the past year will be invaluable to me for the rest of my life, as this year has taught me essential skills such as; time management, ability to work under pressure and decision making. This year has given me the skills and knowledge that will enable me to go back to my studies with a deeper understanding of the industry and what is required of me.

The atmosphere in my office varied from day-to-day as it depended on how many people were in. Due to IBM being a global business a lot of IBMers travel meaning that the amount of people and who is in the office is never the same day-to-day. However, there is always a buzz around the office due to multiple different teams working on different projects on the same floor.

The placement is very well organised at IBM as they have been doing it for years. As a result IBM has created a placement scheme that gives every intern the opportunity to further their skills and knowledge in numerous different areas. They have also developed a great support system through the use of Early Professional Managers that are there to help you with whatever you need.

In terms of training for my role, it was pretty much entirely done on the job and I learnt as I went on. However, IBM invests quite a lot of time in holding events and workshops to help you develop your skills and knowledge, and enables you to get involved in numerous different volunteering opportunities.

IBM offers an intern to grad scheme which enables you to apply to the grad scheme early whilst taking into account your placement year. Having talked to grads at IBM I can see that they are greatly valued and are given many great opportunities to further themselves. IBM grad scheme is very well established and they are always keen to get new grads.

The social scene between my fellow placement students relied on the students getting together themselves, IBM doesn't hold many social events solely for placement students. However, I the interns themselves have arranged a few events in order to get to know one another. Furthermore, I have been to numerous socials within my team over the past year.

The cost of living and working in London is, as you would expect, extremely high, which did limit me on the amount of extra activities and socialising I could do. However, there are always free events going on and numerous different places you can visit for free, you just have to look for them. If living in London I highly recommend budgeting your money as it will enable to you to live here but also have a great social life at the same time.

The nightlife in London is great as there is so much on offer. There are places for everyone no matter what type of event or genre of music you prefer. Some places can be extremely expensive to buy tickets for or to get into but you just have to do your research first.

Being in London has enabled me to get involved in endless amounts of opportunities. This is because, there is always something going on from an exhibition at a museum to a sports club you can join. London is a great city to live in and there is always something you can get involved in.