Digital Change Undergraduate Review

by Volkswagen Financial Services

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.6/5
  • The Role
    4.8
  • The Company
    5.0
  • The Culture
    3.8

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I was privileged to have worked in two amazing teams and equally exciting roles! There was also such an amazing workplace culture throughout the organisation which made me feel welcome and comfortable from my very first day. I woke up every day looking forward to what my placement had in store as the two roles constantly kept me on my toes and threw something new at me every day.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I was blessed to have colleagues around me that were very vocal and active in giving feedback which was great when it came to my development as I could clearly tell that they wanted to me to thrive and constantly improve. Also, the send-off I received when my placement came to an end was amazing as I was given a huge A3 card which everyone from Marketing and Innovation had signed and some other gifts to go with it. Made me feel so appreciated.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • My managers, whether in the office or not, we’re always on hand to provide me much needed support and guidance throughout my placement year. I also had monthly 1-to-1’s with my managers in order to make sure I was comfortable with the work load and that I was on track.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • As I previously mentioned, my role had quite an ad-hoc nature on a daily basis so I was always kept busy with various tasks throughout the day. And if my specific role was a little quiet one day then I would spend my time making posters and videos that other people had asked me to make for them.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • At first, I was slightly micro-managed as i was still adjusting to the role and the new surroundings but once I got the hang of my role, I was allowed to not only complete those without supervision but also take on extra work as well such as the video-making and other ad-hoc tasks.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • Massively! I have chosen a ‘Managing Change & Innovation’ module for my final year of studies and I’m also looking to acquire a Digital / Marketing role after I have graduated in order to utilise the skills I have developed whilst undertaking my placement year. I can’t thank VWFS and my colleagues enough for the experience I received.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The atmosphere was amazing and always buzzing, especially in the department I worked in as it was working on innovative customer service solutions and also, everyone had a great rapport as we would have weekly stand ups to share success stories and updates in regards to the products the team was working on.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • Very organised in my opinion as there was a clear focus on learning and development which all of the undergraduates found essential to their placement experience. Also, there was a clear structure in place from my team in regards to my progression throughout the year and how much responsibility I would be taking on.

    5/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • As mentioned in the previous answer, VWFS invested very heavily in the undergraduate learning and development sessions that were hosted at various points in the year. I was also able to help with the Comms plan and marketing materials for the Learning at Work Week which was received greatly by the wider organisation.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised Canteen

    Sports and Social Club

    Company Car

    Financial Bonus

    Company Parties/Events

    Above 25 days holiday

    Working from home

    Healthcare/Dental

    5/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • As mentioned before, there is a huge emphasis on learning and development within the organisation in order to aid a healthy career progression. Also, due to the current flexible nature of the automotive industry and the new technologies that are being developed, this will only create more job opportunities in the future.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • Yes, there was a great social atmosphere between the students and we would always try to organise stuff outside of work. It’s granted that not everyone got along but that was bound to happen in my opinion. However, on the whole, I enjoyed most of the students’ company in and outside of work.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • It was okay at best. Having to pay rent, petrol and do a food shop every week, it was a little hard sometimes to set money aside to socialise but I managed.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • It was good, not the best, but still decent enough to have a good night. The Hub was central to the nightlife in my opinion.

    4/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • Yes, there was always a way to get involved with opportunities outside of work. I was involved in the football which went unbeaten for most of my placement year and I took every opportunity to get involved with voluntary work such as the Midnight Moo and the Santa Dash which raised substantial amounts of money for Willen Hospice.

    5/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

South West

October 2019


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