This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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About You
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The Company
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Everything Else
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy the insight?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued during your time at the company or firm?
- 3. How much guidance/support did you receive during the insight?
- 4. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and information you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 5. How well structured was the insight?
- 6. How was the general atmosphere during your insight?
- 7. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 8. To what extent did the insight help you to understand what it would be like to have a full time role with the company or firm?
- 9. How much did the insight help you in understanding the company culture?
- 10. How valuable was the content in helping you to decide on your future career path?
- 11. Were you paid or reimbursed adequately for this experience?
- 12. Were there opportunities for networking and meeting other employees of the company or firm?
- 13. How were the networking/ social event opportunities?
- 14. Did you find out about activities that employees can get involved in outside of work?
- 15. Would you recommend this insight to a friend?
About You
I enjoyed the experience overall and would consider taking part in it again. The staff were very friendly and the main customers were children and parents so it was a happy experience overall. Also I had gained many resourceful skills by the end and had spent the summer doing something worth while.
The supervisors were very helpful and friendly so we felt comfortable and like a part of the team. Also there were several other volunteers at the time so we had other people to work with and it was not a lonely experience.
The placement had given volunteers a two day training as well as an introduction day two weeks prior. Also, there were several workers who would check up on us and assist us with any problems we had come across.
As someone who is looking forward to working with children in the future, this work experience has helped gain an insight and further prepare me for this. Also, I have gained more skills with parental communication and organisation of activities and events.
The Company
The placement had scheduled children's programmes for the following weeks, however they did not follow the structure too well so we had to plan our own activities with the children. This worked out fine in the end so it was not too much of a hassle.
Working in a children's library had a great, care-free environment as the place was bright and colourful and the people were all generally friendly. The activities and programmes kept us busy and energised so the atmosphere was pleasant overall.
The company had made sure to train us well and supervise us along the way in case we came across any issues or were uncertain with a task. After a few days we were able to work independently and resolve issues on our own so were evidently well trained.
The experience was very useful in gaining an insight into how a full time role would be as we were able to shadow our supervisors and discuss how their jobs are like as well as how they got into their jobs in the first place.
We had a general overview and understanding of the company culture as well as the duties of the employees, however a longer placement would have been more beneficial in this.
The experience was valuable as it helped us understand the tasks and routines of working within a library, and also made me consider a future in working within this field.
Everything Else
It was a voluntary experience so we were not paid for it.
We had an introduction day where we socialised with other volunteers and supervisors so that we would be more comfortable with each other in the placement.
It was very helpful in meeting new people and getting more comfortable with colleagues, as well as having a good introduction to the place and duties that we'd be doing.
We were told about external experiences that employees get involved in such as teen reading clubs and working with schools in the local communities.
I would highly recommend this to others who are looking for something to do during the summer and gain skills along the way. It is also a great opportunity to make new friends and work with new people.
Details
Insight / Vacation Scheme (< 4 Weeks)
South East
May 2015