Placement Student Review

Overall I really enjoyed my time at Cadent. I was able to get involved with a wide range of tasks from everyday office work to helping the wider community. I was able to broaden my knowledge about the industry and appreciate a real working environment.

I was working with people who had a lot of industry knowledge and were able to support me when required. Everyone was very welcoming and encouraging.

My manager was very supportive in terms of allowing me to explore other departments and broaden my knowledge and experience. I was given ownership for my own projects but the support was there when I needed it.

Due to the nature of the department my workload varied on a daily basis. Sometimes I would be very busy while some days would be a little quieter. This is when I took the opportunity to look into other departments and to learn a bit more about Cadent.

I was given a wide range of responsibility from my own projects to daily tasks. I was also able to support management with their projects and workload. This in turn gave me a better insight when working at management level.

As placement students we were required to attend and participate in training modules. these would allow us the opportunity to reflect and draw upon our experiences and appreciate and understanding when dealing with different situations. While on my placement I was also able to develop my communication, presentation and writing skills, becoming better when articulating my views.

Due to the type of department I was based in there was always a constant buzz within the office. I personally really liked the atmosphere as it felt like a more exciting place to work. There were also a number of different engagement activities to keep employees motivated and involved with their work.

In terms of training modules and what was expected from us as placement students, this was very well organised. I did however have a few technical issues at the start of my placement but overall it was well organised.

Cadent is very invested with regards to bringing on new talent. They offer a number of different programmes including; engineering schemes, university placement schemes and a graduate scheme. They provide extra training modules and different opportunities to get involved with. My manager was also very keen to understand what I wanted to gain from my placement and so create my own personal development plan.

Cadent offers employment for both operational and commercial based careers. They offer a very appealing graduate scheme which would allow me to experience both sides to Cadent, continue increasing my knowledge and understanding of the industry but also developing my own personal skills.

Myself and the other placement students all got on. It was quite difficult to socialise as we were based in different locations. However we would try and organise something once a month even if it was just for a few drinks after work.

Due to where I was based I was able to live at home and commute to Hinckley everyday.

There isn't much nightlife in Hinckley but there are a few good pubs and restaurants. Nearby cities include Leicester and Coventry which are both university towns and can offer a good night out.

There weren't many extra activities to get involved with but teams would often socialise outside work.