Consulting Services Industrial Placement Review

The role is not for the faint-hearted but the more you put into it the more you get out of it! If you are an ambitious person there can surely not be another placement nationwide which would allow to get the exposure which this role within Gist allows. Opportunities to work alongside high-level employees are endless meaning it's high pressure yet extremely high reward.

I quickly felt established as a valued member of the team and the amount of trust placed in me has made me feel respected and determined to succeed.

Gist provides a 'buddy' and a 'mentor' whom are always available should I need help at any stage of my placement. Supplementary to this I have regularly found myself to be working close to site and team managers who are always willing to help and support me in my work.

As the year has gone on I have found myself to have more and more to do on a daily basis. As I have mentioned, the more you put into this role, the more you get out of it. Due to the nature of consulting as a whole, your workload is dependent on what projects arise, which are suitable for your skill set. In the early part of my placement I found myself to sometimes be waiting for something substantial to come along - while nowadays there isn't enough hours in the day to get it all done!

As time has gone on and I have performed well with projects, I have been given more and more responsibility going forward, to the stage that I am now the nationwide trainer for the company on a newly implemented email system for which I was heavily involved in the setup of. I also manage the project plan for the logistics aspect of a nationwide restructuring of a supply chain. This involves creating summaries for high level management, logging the minutes and chasing up actions. I have been given really responsible roles to the point that the people I am working alongside are shocked to hear that I'm only here as an industrial placement!

I have thrived on the opportunities provided to me on this placement to the extent where I have found myself to be more confident and ambitious. Seeing how hard work can provide great opportunities as given me the detemination to push-on in my final year and beyond.

I am the only industrial placement in Head Office so I don't have the same social group of people my age that some other companies provide, while I do have a laugh with the people on my team and have the company of some graduates. I would consider my placement to provide a btter representation of 'real work' because of this however and I think the opportunites are hugely greater than they would have been if I was in a team made up entirely by students.

The scheme here at Gist is very professional and you always know that you will be looked after. As mentioned I have had never-ending opportunities to get stuck into exciting work.

I have monthly review in which the main focus is on giving me the opportunity to develop whatever skills I deem required. Thw work I am given can often be tailored to suit my development needs. There has been huge amounts of investment in allowing me to go around the country to complete various projects and really get a feel for the company as a whole.

The grad scheme at Gist is well-renowned and provides the opportunity to manage a team within a depot from the word go. It is widely advertised that those who impress within their placement are often sought to join up as a grad. Although their is not a specific Consulting graduate role there are several attractive options such as a role on the IT project team or getting stuck into being a manager at one of the depots across the country.

As mentioned the number of placment students based in Head Office is limited, yet between the few of us who are here there is ample opportunity to get together for a game of football or a few drinks after work.

I have a really nice flat at a decent price, sharing with a friend who is also on placement. It's nowhere near as expensive as London but i guess there are cheaper places around...

Basingstoke is only 45mins from London and 20mins from Reading so there is definitely scope to get to some amazing nightlife! Basingstoke itself isn't bad either so there's plenty to keep you entertained.

I have joined a local football team along with my flat mate and one of the guys from work - this has provided me with a great group of mates straight away. I think no matter where you are there is always the opportunity to get involved in sports/clubs if you're interested.