Material Planner Review

Fantastic work atmosphere, great colleagues to work with, and I had a really enjoyable time.

My work colleagues in the office were just like family - they were so supportive, and genuinely kind, helpful people.

My manager had a very difficult role, regularly working very late, yet always ceased whatever he was doing to help me or answer a question.

Certain days were very busy, with other days quieter, but that was the nature of the beast; there was a good balance overall.

Responsible for ordering materials for production, with costs amounting to millions of pounds over the year. Accurate ordering was vital, as if a material were late or underproduced, it would've had a direct impact on our own production, with the risk of running out of stock.

My manager helped me to develop my spreadsheet skills. Some skills improved include time management, communication, presentation and leadership.

Fantastic colleagues, though with major structural changes occurring, there were times when the mood became a little blue. Overall, a very positive atmosphere with an enthusiastic team.

The actual Manufacturing side of the plant, where I worked, was quite far off the internship standard set for the research and development students. They had much more individual and team training tailored to their needs. However, compared to many of my friends' placements, my placement was still well organised and allowed me to grow by getting stuck in to real work.

My team trained me for the job very well, learning to use new systems never seen before. My manager put me on an Excel course towards the end after asking for more training. I feel that there is room to improve in this area, but at the same time, it doesn't make sense for any firm to invest in a student's training when they are on a fixed contract.

I would love to return to the company; several colleagues have offered to help spot any vacancies when I get towards the end of my placement, so I'll see how applications go through final year.

The other placements student were numerous (fifteen overall) and really nice people. My colleagues didn't go out often together, but they made an effort for my leaving party, which was a brilliant finale.

Banbury wasn't the cheapest town to live in, but a very pretty place with excellent amenities.

I'm not a nightclub person; the pubs were alright, but not perfect. However, for those who do like nightclubs, there are at least three to choose from, with a range of bars.

There were five-a-side football events, but organised by employees among other employees. An official sports team would've been great, but at the same time, it would be hard to get the numbers to attend.