Trade Compliance Analyst Review

My placement was a joy to be on, giving me a perfect insight into trade and the workings of a multinational business. I was given a perfect amount of responsibility to allow me to be a good contributor to the team, whilst my workload was kept under the right amount to ensure it wasn't overwhelming.

The team were the perfect balance of being supportive and answering any questions/queries I had, understanding that as a placement student I wouldn't have the same knowledge they had in trade compliance. Whilst also being able to leave you to complete the job in hand without much interference, only checking in to ensure you were still comfortable completing the jobs.

It was easy to ask for support whenever I needed help from managers/colleagues. Everyone was more than happy to hear what I had to say and give me advice on the best way to complete something or help with any support I needed. This meant I never felt lost as if I was ever ensure on how to complete something or just wanted reassurance that I was going about a tricky job in the right way, there was always someone to support me and keep me going down the right path.

Whilst there may be times when the workload can get rather hectic, for the most part I was shielded from the major jobs. This gave me a perfect balance of work that kept me busy all throughout the weeks! This meant that days went nice and quick as you were busy ensuring you completed work instead of constantly checking the time.

From the start of my placement I was given a sense of responsibility to take pride in my work as I would be accountable for projects I undertook. This was the perfect method to gain knowledge quickly from within Trade Compliance, in which I previously had close to zero experience.

One of the key skills developed over the time of my placement was improvements in using Microsoft Excel. Using it on a day to day basis was key to this. There was also the opportunity to complete an online training course to fine tune skills. This alongside being able to complete an industry recognised certification in has allowed me to gain some key skills and knowledge that will translate perfectly into my time after graduation, and hopefully on my final year of studies!

The atmosphere in the office was a great balance. With everyone friendly enough to have a nice chat but focused enough to complete jobs in hand without getting to distracted and constantly chatting. Having a radio in the office was an added bonus as well to avoid moments of total silence, which can make the days go quicker.

Whilst there was room for improvement as I was missed out of training other placement students took part in. The placement was well organised with a training plan and work plan set out from the start to ensure I had a good workload and gained extra knowledge along the way. Also the next placement students in the team will be on the training's, as I was the first placement student the team has took on this may be why I wasn't on the training courses as they simply hadn't been made aware

I was surprised during my placement to find that I was encouraged to complete any courses/training I could during the working days in order to gain any knowledge I could during my limited time at Cummins. You will be encouraged to develop yourself during you placement from any avenues you can find.

If the opportunity to work for Cummins after the completion of my degree I would definitely go for it! The graduate scheme looks to be well set out and gives all graduates a chance to gain experience in multiple departments fast and move up in a good time frame, allowing for good personal and professional development.