Business Administration Team Member Review

The summer placement I have completed has been amazing. the people I have worked with have constantly been helping me to find opportunities to further my experience and learn about their business. In just a short period of time I feel I have really gained an insight into its everyday functioning and the processes it must utilise in order to be efficient.

All colleagues have been extremely welcoming and I feel like I really fit in. I have not once felt out of place or unappreciated as an intern and have been treated just as equally as any of the full timers. People have also been very open to let me observe their work and to teach me what they are doing happily. This atmosphere is really important for me as I was originally very nervous of coming into the placement on only a short contract. I felt like I wouldn't have enough time to get to know the ins and outs but this hasn't happened at all and that's down to the cooperation of the people around me.

I have had weekly meeting with a colleague who was tasked to be my 'buddy' for the duration of my placement. These have been extremely helpful as they have given me the chance to raise any concerns/talk about anything I was struggling with and have these issues solved - not that there have been any large issues at all. They also gave me the opportunity to ask if there's anything else I can get involved with and , in response, I have always been presented with other opportunities. I have also had multiple meetings with the Line Manager, which gave me the opportunity to ask any more questions. One thing I found most helpful out of these was that I was asked if I had any suggestions for improvements that could be made within the team. This made me feel like my thoughts and ideas were really valued and I appreciated the respect I was shown as an individual.

Most days I have been kept very busy and if any roles popped up that I could get involved in I would be invited to do so. I was also given responsibilities, which were mine for the duration of my placement. I really enjoyed doing these as I felt like I could make them my own and become more efficient with them over time. There was the odd occasion where I felt a little bored but I don't blame the team at all for this. They are all very busy with their jobs and I wouldn't expect them ton constantly be supervising me and finding things for me to do. In most cases I used my initiative and either spent time completing my regular responsibilities or asked less busy team members if I could observe them for a short while. Management checked daily whether I had plans for things to do and if I didn't they would try their upmost to find something; sometimes ,due to the nature of the work, there just wasn't a lot of work going around.

I was surprised at how much responsibility I was given and I really appreciated it- it made me feel like my team trusted me and valued me. As mentioned, I had regular responsibilities that I completed wither every day or every other day. As well as this, I was given the opportunity to help other teams who were struggling with their work load and to support my own team when there's became more intense. This really made me feel like I wasn't just seen as a temporary placement but actually as part of the company and I think this was really essential to my enjoyment. I only wish that the placement was longer so that I could have had time to be properly trained on some more complex tasks ,that I think I would have been capable of.

Although the placement ( in an administration support role) was largely unrelated to my degree ( biomedical science), I think the experience will be very helpful. Above all, I have really developed organisational skills. On some busy days, I have really been required to prioritise tasks and ensure that I am working as efficiently as I can to not hold back others from being able to complete the work they need to. I have also really developed the confidence to communicate with colleagues in order to share relevant information and knowledge. Before this placement, I genuinely felt very nervous contacting people I didn't know very well , but now I feel much more capable of doing this when necessary. I think collaboration will be important in any career and hence, I think this personal development will be invaluable for me.

A lot of my role was on the move- I spent very little time just sat in an office, which I liked. DSTL also employs a Smart-Working system where nobody has a set desk, but instead they can choose any desk they want each day. I feel like this works really well because people get a change of scenery and can work around different people every day, reducing any tensions that may arise from spending too much time with any one person/people. Overall the atmosphere was very bubbly and everyone had a laugh which encouraged team spirit. Sometimes tensions did build, but these were always resolved quickly and maturely.

When I started the placement, I was set up with a matrix of tasks. This meant that I had a very clear idea of what I would be required to do, reducing ambiguity. The team calendar ,and use of Outlook in general for communication, was also very helpful and meant that it was easy to keep track of who was responsible for which tasks and where. Although my placement appeared to be very well thought out before I arrived, I also really liked the fact that my supervisors adapted my roles as I went along so that I had a greater variety of things to tackle as I got more confident and able.

Within the time that was available, the company did all that they could to help me develop. As mentioned previously, I only wish I'd had more time to learn more.

Although this isn't the type of role I want to be working in in the future, I would definitely consider returning, at least for a few years after graduation to gain some more experience. I feel as though I have made some good contacts and relationships and that I would be offered future support if I asked for it.

I was the only part time placement in my team but this didn't stop me from making friends with my colleagues at all and I never felt left out of lonely at work. I was also put into contact with another placement student at another site and we were given a task to collaborate on long-distance. This was brilliant as it meant that we could discuss each of our experiences and give each other tips , guidance and support. It also gave us the experience of a different way of working with other people ,which relied largely on communication through shared networks and technology.

Being in the South of the country, nothing is overly cheap. However, as I am local to the area, I am used to budgeting for the price of living and my salary was more than enough to get me by and allow me a social life too.

The closest city, Salisbury, isn't large and so there isn't a great nightlife locally. However, a train to Southampton, Bournemouth or Bristol is relatively cheap (£15-£20) and these cities have lots of good clubs and bars you can try instead if you're looking for a good night out.

Although I personally didn't get involved in anything during my time, I know there are opportunities provided for employees regularly throughout the year. There also lots of different societies people can get involved with such as the Civil Service Sports Council.