Project Controller Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my work placement. I was given a lot of responsibility and the experience I have gained is invaluable. Not only did i have the office experience but i also had the opportunity to go on site to see for myself one of the companies projects in motion and to meet with our sub-contractors and clients face to face.

Everyone in the company was very welcoming and treated me as a valued member of staff rather than a student.

I reported to a number of different managers however they all offered support and guidance when it was needed, they also encouraged me to use my initiative to solve problems before running to them for help which has benefited me greatly as i have grown more independent in the work i carry out.

At the beginning of my placement there were a few quiet spells in the run up to Christmas however i always had work to keep me occupied. In the second half of my placement i had heavy involvement in one of the Aberdeen offices largest projects which kept me very busy, but i enjoyed the experience.

As my placement progressed i was given more and more responsibility which i greatly appreciated as it has allowed me to expand my skills.

I learnt more in the 12 months of placement than i have in my whole time at University. The real life experience however has allowed me to return to my final year at University with a more rounded knowledge of Management and i can now apply my real life experience into work i am doing in University. The skills i have gained over the past 12 months on my placement will be skills i will have for life and will go onto develop in my further career thanks to Houlder.

The Aberdeen office was filled with a wide mixture of people and as it was quite a small office you got to know everyone. There was never a dull moment and with it being open plan you always knew what was going on in different projects which made you feel more involved and part of the team. Everyone was very approachable.

I was the second placement student that Houlder employed therefore throughout my placement i was constanly developing my role. However there was a clear structure of what i was expected to do from day one and from that i developed it into my own role to suit the company.

Houlder provided me with any training that i needed. They provided me with an advanced Microsoft Excel training course which benefited both myself and Houlder as i could create more in-depth spreadsheets. They also invested in a Microsoft Project course which allowed me to develop a new skill and also assist the company with creating project schedules for clients.

At the end of my placement i was approached and offered full time employment once i have completed my University course. I am delighted to be joining Houlder again in a few months time.

During my placement Houdler brought in a few more placement students to work in different areas of the company. However we always arranged social events after work or at the weekends and i have made friends for life.

The cost of living in Aberdeen can be expensive if you are renting accomodation, however socialising during the week is very cheap due to student deals etc.

With Aberdeen being a student filled city the nightlife is good everyday of the week!

There was not set acitivites outside of work - e.g. football team etc, due to it being a small office with a mixture of employees. However where possible we arranged drinks after work. Every couple of months the company also arranged team building events such as meals out, bowling and the annual christmas party.