Trade Marketing Assistant Review

3M offer a high quality placement (no tea/coffee was made on my behalf throughout the year!). I was given a great deal of responsibility, enabling me to put into practice knowledge of business learnt at university whilst developing my key competencies.

I was treated the same as any other employee, colleagues were more than happy to help out where necessary and I was never spoken down to or treated like 'just a student'. Really went the extra mile to ensure I was comfortable at all times.

My manager was key to my enjoyment over the year, offering help and advice but also pushing me to ensure I got the most out of the experience. The management team throughout the hierarchy were all approachable and down to earth which lead to a happy working environment.

There is always something to do no matter how big or small. Obviously certain tasks are more exciting than others but as long as employees are willing to muck in and make sure everything is under control there are opportunities to get involved with various projects throughout the division.

Due to a variety of reasons I was given a lot more responsibility over the year than highlighted at first in my job-role overview. If you are looking to develop key competencies and want to push yourself on placement I would highly recommend 3M because of the responsibility and scope for creativity they enable.

Various training courses throughout the year are made available. As previously mentioned the responsibility you are given on a daily basis ensure that you will leave with real life business scenarios and examples to partner your knowledge in final year and graduate scheme applications.

Our division was always a pleasant environment regardless as to how busy/empty the floor was. At times it could be quiet but generally there was always a happy-medium between people getting on with work and general office banter between colleagues. Jenga on a Friday was always popular and a good way of getting everyone together to have a laugh and a joke before the weekend.

From the work carried out by the IP/Grad Recruitment Co-ordinators, HR and the division itself, the whole placement was very well structured. There were quarterly IP and Graduate courses so that students from across the various 3M UK locations could meet up. Within the division my job-role, key responsibilities and expectations were well communicated, I was always comfortable with what was expected from me on a daily basis.

Whilst a great deal of time was invested in me learning more about the company, the division I worked in and the product ranges/distribution channels, not having a handover from a previous placement student hindered my learning process at the beginning of the placement. I was quite happy to air these views which were taken very well by the division and measures have now been put in place to ensure new starters are brought up to speed upon arrival.

I haven't yet enquired about potentially undertaking a graduate scheme with the company but I would be very happy to return upon completion of my degree if the company wanted to have me back. 3M invests a lot of time in placement students which is shown through the amount of ex-placement students within the division. The thought process is that they bring you in on placement with the intention of you coming back after finishing your degree.

Lots to do outside of work if you're willing to get involved. There is both casual 7-a-side football on a Monday as well as 3MFC who play local sides on a Sunday as well as touring around Europe to play other 3M subsidiaries. Tag rugby, netball teams and other sports socials are easy to get involved with. Lots of places to go out in Reading for a night out, London is also only an hour away on the train. Ascot and Windsor racecourses are nearby too. Colleagues from all different divisions socialise regularly so if you are outgoing you will meet a great bunch of people and learn more about the wider 3M company in the process, putting you at ease if you ever need to ask anyone from a different division a question.

Not as diverse as London in terms of places to go but at the same time the cost of living is a fraction of the price. You can get a return ticket to London for around £10-£15 on the train with a young persons railcard but there is plenty to do in and around Reading if not in Bracknell itself.

Variety of places to eat and drink in Wokingham, easier for us due to where we lived but Reading is the only place nearby for bars and clubs. Decent atmosphere as you would expect from a uni town, student nights are the best value for money but if you don't fancy heading out on a school night the weekends are also good fun.

The guys from various social clubs and groups are very accommodating to new-starters and are actively on the lookout for people that want to get involved. If you ask someone in your division who to contact they will make sure you are copied in any of the social email threads.