Undergraduate Programme Assistant Review

I could not have chosen a better placement scheme for my year in industry. Working for Vauxhall has been such a valuable experience and I am proud to have been a part of a company with such an impressive heritage and employee-centric culture. I have been given countless opportunities throughout the year to immerse myself in a fast-paced, exciting industry and this has had a profound effect on my professional development and has confirmed my future aspirations.

It is clear that the company values the contributions of undergraduates and regards them no differently to permanent employees. Throughout the year, I have been approached by far senior colleagues seeking my advice and I have even had the opportunity to feed back to the HR Director. The other undergraduates and apprentices provide a network of support and all of my colleagues within the department have been incredibly accommodating, particularly when sacrificing other commitments to assist with my recruitment activities.

All undergraduates participate in the employee performance management system used by General Motors. Throughout the year, there are three planned conversations that take place between undergraduates and supervisors, in which undergraduates complete a self-assessment and receive feedback in relation to their performance. This process allowed me to recognise my progress, identify areas for improvement and to subsequently enhance my individual results. During my placement, I have also been provided with regular feedback, support and coaching from my supervisor, both through structured one-to-one reviews and informal chats. My supervisor is always available to provide support even when out of the office. I have never felt discouraged to ask questions or seek guidance. All undergraduates are assigned a personal mentor to provide informal and flexible support. Mentors are a great source of experience and can pass on their acquired skills and provide you with additional opportunities to develop your knowledge.

My role could be demanding at times but as a result, I have been able to strengthen my time management skills, my ability to work under pressure and to prioritise tasks. I have never felt overwhelmed by my workload, mostly due to the support of my colleagues, but you must be prepared to put in the extra hours. I found that I gained the most from my placement during the more intense periods. Being busy is definitely a good thing!

The level of responsibility I have been given from the very first day of my placement has far exceeded my expectations. I have been in charge of managing the entire undergraduate recruitment process from start to finish. This has involved coordinating all promotional activities, from representing the company at multiple university careers events nationwide and delivering promotional presentations to groups of between 30 and 300 students to overseeing our Rate My Placement campaign. I have screened in excess of 3,000 placement applications, organised and run 20 assessment centres across 4 months and led the induction activities over a two-week period for 76 undergraduates. I have also been a project leader for the Undergraduate Community Project, for which I have coordinated in excess of 10 school events, incorporating 465 students between the ages of 12 – 16, and represented the company at STEM Networking Events. Being entrusted with so much responsibility has been daunting at times, but it has allowed me to make a real contribution to the business and learn to thrive under pressure.

I have gained the practical business knowledge which will add value to my degree and will put me at an advantage when I enter the graduate job market. I have developed the ability to analyse my own performance and identify my strengths as well as my development needs. I have strengthened my professional competencies, become competent at working under pressure and learnt to effectively manage multiple projects. Working within a team and liaising with all departments of the business has taught me how to deal with ambiguity, overcome differences in opinion and resolve conflict. I have had multiple opportunities to suggest and implement process improvements to maintain professional standards and eliminate bureaucracy, which I will be able to take forward into the future. Having exposure to the Human Resources department of a global business has enabled me to broaden my business awareness and increase my knowledge of well-established and effective business practices which will be invaluable in my future career. The company is committed to growing its talent and the undergraduate programme could be the first stage of a lifetime career. You really do get out what you put in!

Griffin House is a great place to work. The atmosphere is generally very energetic, especially around celebrations such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas, when everyone makes a big effort with decorations. HR won the ‘best dressed department’ decorating competition during the World Cup season (although I’m not sure the team appreciated the prize of white England football caps!). Birthdays are always celebrated with an embarrassing sing-song and a cake. There is nearly always a supply of cakes, biscuits and sweets on the HR table and we have recently introduced ‘Cheese Board Friday’ and ‘Wimbledon Wednesday’. Even during busier periods, the atmosphere is always upbeat and undergraduates are never left out.

The Vauxhall Undergraduate Programme is designed to engage students with the business whilst supporting their development through a series of structured induction programmes and training. Two weeks before our arrival, we were invited to attend two induction days on-site at Griffin House for the opportunity to get an insight into the company, meet our departments and get to know the other undergraduates. There was also a whole day dedicated to housing support for those that were relocating for the year. A housing guide was provided with a list of available properties in the local area and undergraduates were given the chance to view their favourites in the afternoon. There was also a structured ‘handover’ period, which is usually two weeks long but varies dependent on job role, where you learn your tasks from the previous undergraduate in that role. The handover period also incorporates presentations from all the company Directors, including the Chairman and MD, HR and IT inductions, tours of all Southern sites and even a tour of our vintage vehicles in the Vauxhall Heritage Centre. During the two weeks, Vauxhall accommodate the new undergraduates in nearby university halls of residence, and the cost of this is deducted from your salary over 3 months to spread the cost. There is also a calendar of social events, such as a football match, Casino event, club nights, meals and even a pub quiz.

The company invests a huge amount into young talent and so Vauxhall undergraduates are offered a variety of training throughout the year to contribute to their personal development and to assist them in their job roles. Basic/intermediate Excel training is provided in the third week, and you will be taught the functions that are required for your role by existing undergraduates or apprentices. Shortly into your year, you will receive presentation training from HR. This training is incredibly valuable and will allow you to identify how your presenting style can be improved through peer learning, and help you to grow in confidence. All undergraduates will be required to present at some point throughout the year, and so this training will help prepare you. It is compulsory to take part in driving awareness courses run by AA Drive Tech, which allow you to qualify for a business loan vehicle if travelling off-site to a meeting or event. At the end of the year, Graduate Application Skills workshops are rolled out to equip undergraduates with knowledge of graduate recruitment processes, application advice and feedback on their performance at Vauxhall assessment centres. Department and role-specific training will also be offered dependant on business requirements, for example, I participated in interview training. You will also have the opportunity to enrol in GM ‘E-Learning’ courses, which range from IT training to professional development and process training.

Unfortunately, Vauxhall only take on a very small number of graduates every year. However, your placement year is often referred to as a ‘year long interview’ and the company will identify the highest performing undergraduates with the intention of putting them forward for any future graduate opportunities. If you work hard, apply yourself and exceed expectations, it is highly likely that the company will identify you as a potential future graduate. For example, I have been given the opportunity to continue my employment with Vauxhall on a part-time basis throughout my final year of university, with the prospect of eventually progressing into a full-time graduate position.

There are over 70 undergraduates based in Bedfordshire and 20 in Cheshire, so there is always something going on whether it's a house party or night out. The undergraduates and apprentices are like a family and I have built relationships which I hope will last a very long time.

Luton itself is very reasonably priced for both living and socialing. Rented accommodation ranges from £200 - £350 PPPM (excluding bills) and drinks are also very cheap. Surrounding towns such as Harpenden and St Albans are more upmarket and therefore a bit pricier, but definitely worth a visit.

Luton is a cheap and cheerful night out for a large group of undergraduates. If you're looking for something different, London, Watford, Harpenden, Hitchin, St Ablans and Milton Keynes are all less than a 30 minute taxi or train ride away.

Vauxhall has an incredibly active Communications department and there are multiple opportunities to get involved with extra activities. For example, this year there have been football sponsorship events, charity events such as golf days, skydives, bike rides and fire-walks, CSR days, FIFA tournaments, BBQs, outdoor cinema events, class car shows, employee motorshow involvement, employee competitions, table tennis tournaments, football matches, theatre trips, sports clubs, super brand sales, prize draws... to name a few!