Human Resources Intern Review

I have thoroughly enjoyed my work placement at Sussex Police. I feel that I have strongly developed my employability skills and I have contributed to the organisation as a whole. I have been involved in many projects which have impacted upon the Force and I have been provided with many networking opportunities. Throughout my placement there has been the flexibility and support from my managers to get involved with pieces of work that have particularly interested me.

I felt extremely valued by my colleagues at Sussex Police. I was actively invited to events and meetings, enabling me to get fully involved and contribute my ideas. When I joined a new team, each of the team members met with me to talk to me about the work they are undertaking and answering any of my questions/concerns.

I was recognised for the work that I had completed and had regular 1:1 meetings with my line manager to ensure that I was provided with the support and training necessary to undertake my role. I had a mentor throughout my time at Sussex Police which I could go to regularly to talk about my progress and development. I never felt that I couldn't talk to anyone if I had any problems and felt supported throughout.

My days would vary; some would be extremely busy going from meeting to meeting whereas others were quieter. I feel that I had a good workload and there was always something to get involved with if I had spare capacity.

I feel I was given a great deal of responsibility. I took the lead on various projects that have resulted in certain aspects of the organisation changing. My manager was not too involved in my work; however, I was provided with a 'buddy' who I could go and talk to if I had any concerns/questions.

I think that my work placement has significantly improved my employability skills. I have been on many training programmes with the Force and most importantly have gained a greater understanding of how the theory at University applies to an organisation and the employees. I have been able to develop my skills through projects which have also allowed me to gain the evidence to document them when I apply for jobs in the future.

The general atmosphere changed daily. I worked in an open planned office (hot desking). This meant that some days were very noisy and others would be quiet. I worked with a great team who you could bounce ideas off and have some fun, although there was also a great deal of professionalism due to environment I was working in.

I was the first placement student so therefore there were some aspects that were not quite as seamless as they could be. I feel that as the placement went on the placement arrangements significantly improved. At the beginning there was an element of uncertainty (regarding where I was going and what I would be doing).

I feel that Sussex Police were strongly commitment to my development, allowing me to attend many training days. I actively took part in training such as Coaching, Consultancy Skills, Project Management and Leadership (to name a few). It was a fantastic opportunity to understand more about the Force and network with others. I also was encouraged throughout the year to keep my Personal Development Plan (PDP) up to date, documenting the activities I had undertaken and evidencing the skills I had been using.

There is a great deal of change happening within the Force so I feel that the opportunity to gain employment would be unlikely. However, I had been told that providing the situation was different and there was a role available they would be very happy to employ me.

I would say that this is where the placement was lacking. I was the only placement student so there were limited social activities. I had a great team at work that I got on extremely well with but I did not socialise with them out of work on many occasions.

I was living at home so hard for me to say. Brighton area is still not cheap but cheaper than that of London.

The closest place for nightlife would be Brighton. There are nice pubs and restaurants in Lewes but there is not the young vibe that Brighton has.

There were opportunities to get involved with lots of charity work and sporting events. I got involved with the Netball which was great fun. However, there weren’t many other activities I felt suitable for me.