Summer Scheme Intern Review

by Savills

Best Student Employer

Rating

4.3/5
  • About You
    4.3
  • The Company
    4.3
  • Everything Else
    4.4

    About You

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
  • I really enjoyed seeing the Development department work in the office. I felt instantly welcomed and included in the day-to-day. I was given tasks that I had not done at university so have really learnt a lot during the week. Despite the summer scheme being cut short due to Covid-19, the team ensured I got a good oversight of the different teams in the office as well as the extent of their varied workload. The week has been a real enjoyment.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
  • I felt like I was valued to a great extent, in that I was trusted to complete tasks independently in order to help out different members of the team. On day 1 I was included in all the team meetings and discussions in order to quickly be immersed in what was going on with different projects. I was given a variety of different tasks to work on throughout the week, making me feel like I was part of the team, despite only being here a week.

    5/5

  • 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
  • I had guidance and support from everyone I worked with and I felt everyone was approachable if I had any questions or needed help. I felt I could particularly relate to the graduates who were in my position only a couple of years ago, this meant they were able to give me great advice about the grad scheme and the shift from university to the office. In addition to this I was checked in on at various points within the day to ensure I was happy with the work I was doing.

    5/5

  • 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • Observing how what I have learned at university is applied to real projects was of great value. I have been able to visualize to a greater extent how things work which is so valuable going into my third and final year. I understand how the graduates work now and how they work towards their APC in addition to having their own complex workload. Just in this week I believe I have become more efficient at processing information I have read and moving through things quicker.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 5. How well structured was the insight?
  • The team were completely prepared for my arrival, I had my own desk and computer to use throughout the week and was settled in quickly. After an office tour and introductions to everyone in the office I was trusted to get on with some work. I had zoom meetings with other students across the country also on the summer scheme to get an insight into the different departments in addition to team meetings and discussions with people across the office.

    5/5

  • 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
  • I felt really relaxed due to the good atmosphere in the office and able to work at ease. Despite measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19 (screens between desks for example) I didn't feel cut off from the team and it was interesting to observe the conversations going on around me. Everyone in the team I was in worked seamlessly with each other. I was surprised at how young many members of the office were, this created a little community of graduates and apprentices that created a great atmosphere in the office.

    5/5

  • 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • I was shown how to use some of the websites and tools they uses day to day in the office but that I haven't come across at university. I felt like I developed personal skills in professionalism throughout the week.

    4/5

  • 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
  • I think the insight gave me a very clear representation of what it would be like to have a full time role in the company. Doing the same hours and working within the team as those who worked full-time allowed me to understand the workload that graduates have and what it feels like day to day to have a full time role. It became clear to me early on how quickly I would be able to learn in this environment by observing the graduates.

    5/5

  • 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
  • I feel it may have been slightly more challenging to gain an insight of the company culture due to there being a smaller number of people in the office, with many still working from home due to Covid-19. However from seeing how everyone forms friendships within the office and hearing about events they get up to outside of the working day, this was able to give me an indication of what the company culture is like.

    4/5

  • 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
  • Coming into this placement, I had done little work experience so was really searching for an idea as to what I want my path to be. What I have realised, form this week, is there are so many different areas of the sector that I had not been aware of which made me think I need to do lots more research and gain more experience in order to try to understand where I want my next step to be.

    3/5

    Everything Else

  • 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
  • Originally this was meant to be a 4-week paid placement at the start of the summer. However due to Covid-19 I feel fortunate to have gotten to do any work experience that wasn't virtual. The placement then became 1 week in September with expenses paid for travel and work related expenditure.


  • 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
  • I met many other employees in the firm within the office, including in the planning department.

    4/5

  • 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
  • Due to Covid-19 there were no networking events put on by the company. However, on an informal basis, I spent my lunch break away from the office in a park with graduates, apprentices and other employees which was really nice to get to know the people I was working with on a more personal level. This also made me feel really included and more at ease and therefore able to talk to people more easily back in the office.

    5/5

  • 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
  • I did hear people talking about networking event and office days out they had been on in the last year, many of which sounded really fun.

    4/5

  • 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
  • I would absolutely recommend the summer scheme to a friend on my course. I found it so useful to understand how an office functions and what it actually means to have a full time job in the private sector. It would have been amazing to have been able to do the additional 3 weeks weeks of the placement if not for Covid-19 as this would have enabled me to further expand my network and feel even more immersed within the team.

    5/5

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Details

Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)

Surveying

South West

September 2020


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