Sales and Marketing IT Business Analyst Review

I have really enjoyed my placement! It has allowed me to use the skills learnt at university and put them into practice in the real life industry environment. I have gained many skills inc. confidence, communication, business acumen and have worked on projects with a good level of responsibility.

I feel extremely valued by my colleagues. During my placement year I have worked within three different teams, and each team has been very welcoming and supportive.

Support and guidance is key at Intel and there is a strong focus on this throughout your internship and further on... There are a variety of support mechanisms, including a monthly development session with your manager to focus on skills learnt and areas to develop.

Each day is different, as within all environments there can be peaks & troughs however overall I had a variety of different things to do and projects to work on each day. I also had the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities (like university) so I also took on two volunteering projects on the side.

I was surprised at the large amount of responsibility that was given to me during my placement year! I felt as if I was really contributing to the teams & projects I was working within and felt I was making a positive difference.

The skills I have learnt at Intel have been highly transferable skills that I know I can continue and improve upon beyond university life. This placement has given me the foundations +more and I believe I have learnt more during this placement year than I have during my first two years at university. I cannot explain how valuable this placement has been in regards to skills developed and knowledge learnt!

The general atmosphere at Intel is professional but relaxed. Intel promotes a good work/life balance and this is demonstrated throughout management styles, project work and team dynamics. This relaxed environment works well for self-motivated individuals.

This was the first year that my department had tried an internship rotation (rotating through three different teams), therefore there were some points that could have gone smoother through transitions. However, overall it has been well organised with good structure.

There is a strong focus on personal training and development, especially for interns! There are a variety of support mechanisms in place including; mentoring & buddy schemes, management feedback & development and training classes (online and face-face). You are encouraged to participate in a variety of training courses from the basics to more specific subject areas, including; project management, agile, BA skills, effective communication, effective presentations... I believe my personal development has improved immensely during this 13 month placement scheme.

I would love to come back to Intel as a graduate in the future! The employment prospects for me are great, some of the highlights for me include; the relaxed & friendly culture, focus on individual support & development, multi-cultural organisation and making a positive difference!

There is a large intern community at Intel (around 50 students) each year. At the beginning of each internship year there are student roles which include; sports and social committee, charity committee, volunteering committees, publishing committee and more... Much like at university, all of these committees organize fun events throughout the year for the whole intern community, with highlights including; the intern ball, Christmas parties, fundraising events and much more!

Intel office is located in Swindon, this is my hometown so the cost for me was low as I could live at home and commute in. I also know others who have lived at home & commute in from surrounding areas such as Bath, Bristol, Oxford, Cheltenham etc... As Swindon is a small town the cost of living and socializing is relatively low (in comparison to larger cities such as Bristol, Bath or London).

The night-life in Swindon is average. The main student night for interns is a Thursday night; with many people also opting to go out at the weekend on Friday or Saturday nights. However if you have a good group of people around you then the night will be fun wherever you are!

Opportunities for extra-curricular activities outside of work are hugely encouraged as part of the Intel culture of a healthy work/life balance! There is a large volunteering community at Intel and interns play a large part in this. During my internship year I have joined two volunteering groups - focusing on education and diversity. There are also opportunities to organize fun site-wide events by joining the Great Place To Work team. As well as joining the intern committees also organizing fun events including nights out, meals, cinema trips +more!