N/A Review

I enjoyed the insight week very much as I believe it was extremely beneficial. I developed an understanding of the job roles available in the industry as well as the type of company Mace is along with its vision and values. It has enabled me to develop a moderate understanding of the construction industry as a whole.

Throughout my entire time at Mace I believe we were all valued very highly and treated with respect. I think this provides an indication of the type of company Mace is and how it regards it’s employees.

On one of the days we were given the opportunity to speak to current graduates who were able to talk about their experience and the route they took to end up at Mace. This was particularly beneficial as they were able to answer any queries and guide us in the next steps. Also on the final day we had a mock interview with a Mace employer, off the back of this they were able to provide us with very useful feedback on how to improve.

On completing the week, I believe I have a more concrete understanding on how the construction industry works and the services that form part of it. Also the opportunity to visit a construction site enabled me to see first hand how the different trades work along side each other and the logistics that underpins this.

I think the entire week was very well planned as a timetable laid out all the activities that we would undergo. Everyone knew what they were doing and therefore the week ran very smoothly.

The general atmosphere at Mace was very positive and when I was given the opportunity to work shadow a project manager I visited their office which seemed calm. After speaking to employers and from my own experience everyone seemed very friendly and enjoyed their job at the company.

With regards to personal development I feel the insight week targeted this through various workshops relating to CVs, interview and assessment centres. For each other these they gave us tips on how to perform highly and what prospective employers look for.

The week provided me with a very detailed insight into what it would be like to work for Mace. Some of the schemes Mace run such a ‘mace day’ as well as their continued work for charities were explained. Their vision and values were clearly defined and their importance to the company was also highly recognisable.

As stated above, during the week Maces’ vision the values, along with their 2022 strategy were clearly stated.

The week was very valuable in terms of making decisions on a future career as presentations from the different services Mace offered were delivered. Within these, the job role was explained along with what a sample day would entail therefore it was an opportunity to recognise whether it was something you would enjoy.

I was reimbursed for the hotel I stayed in during the week.

There were plenty of opportunities to network both with other people in the Insight Week and employees of the company. For example, lunches with graduates were arranged providing the perfect opportunity to network and gain a further personal insight into the company.

Many of the employees I spoke to informed me about the social events Mace run. These include the charity events and a range of sports activities.

I would highly recommend this week to anyone with an interest in a career in the construction industry and want to increase their knowledge and understanding of what it can offer. It is a perfect opportunity to meet and speak to people in the industry gaining a first hand insight as well as the chance to to develop personal skills.