IT Business Process/Project Management Placement Student Review

Overall, my placement with Cummins was extremely enjoyable across all aspects. Like all jobs there are certain parts that you enjoy less than others but it's difficult to think of something I was involved in that I disliked or didn't enjoy. I feel I got the most enjoyment possible out of this placement.

Being involved in team work throughout my placement allowed me to feel included in all projects/pieces of work that were underway. The work I completed along my placement felt valued, and like it had a purpose - not just to keep me busy for a year and out of everyone's way.

I feel extremely lucky to have dropped on the best manager I could've possibly asked for. I was supported across all aspects of my placement year and never had a time where I felt alone or overwhelmed. Other colleagues were also there to provide me with support and guidance when I needed despite being based abroad. Staff in the office were always ready to help where they could.

Very. Busy. Always being occupied meant I was aware of a lot of what was going on in the department. It meant I always felt useful and helpful. There's always something to do. It can get frustrating when things end up taking priority over others but it's what you'd expect in a busy department.

A lot. From the start of my placement I had already had a lot of responsibilities passed onto me. It seemed daunting at the beginning, however completely manageable thanks to the amount of support I was given throughout my placement. There's the added pressure to keep on top of your responsibilities but it helps to keep you aware & on top of things.

I developed an endless list of skills throughout the year. Specific training I completed included Project Management training, SharePoint/O365 training, Nintex training & Cummins specific mandatory training before starting my role. The more you involve yourself in a range of aspects, the more training will be offered to help you develop.

I was surrounded by helpful people. There were 2 other IT placement students in the office and we all got on really well i.e. went to breakfast together daily & helped each other with work despite being in different parts of the country. My manager also sits next to me, and as we get on so well, the atmosphere makes working really enjoyable. I look forward to coming into the office everyday.

Fairly well organized from the beginning. I had a phone interview & an assessment center. After I accepted the offer, I felt I heard nothing for ages until we had a meet & greet day and then again no real communication until I actually started. In the beginning I had a timetable pre-set out for 2 weeks and then I started picking up my own pieces of work.

They allowed me to seek out training for myself and other colleagues as well as invested in that. I also had the opportunity to travel abroad which gave me invaluable experience. I managed to travel across the UK to see different sites and understand different aspects that make up Cummins.

It is extremely rare anyone is guaranteed/offered a job for future employment and this is usually down to headcount. It can get frustrating knowing how much you enjoy your work & it is exactly what you'd like to go into in the future but you're unable to progress elsewhere in the future. There are currently no IT graduate schemes available in the UK.

There are a lot of placement students at the site I worked at (Huddersfield). We're all in a group chat and night-outs are frequently arranged. I didn't really take part in any as I lived at home so found it difficult to commute. However, I was close to the 2 other IT placement students I worked with which helped being able to work with others at the same stage of life as you.

I lived from home during my placement, but lived in Huddersfield for 2 years prior. Cost of living is very reasonable, if you're lucky you can spend as little as £70 for accommodation - bills included. I know a lot of placement students who are living in Huddersfield coordinated with themselves and arranged to share flats/houses.

Huddersfield is only a town but I think does well for the amount of bars/pubs it has. There are 3 major clubs that are below average but there are frequent trains to Leeds which is very close. It's cheap and cheerful really, but can get boring if you overdo it and go out often.

Cummins run an initiative which requires you to do at least 4 hours of community work per year. Placement students are also involved in this, it's good as you can choose what community work you do while getting out of the office and involving yourself in something different for a change.