Commercial Undergrad Review

by Goodyear Dunlop Tyres UK Limited

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

4.1/5
  • The Role
    4.1
  • The Company
    4.2
  • The Culture
    4.0

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I enjoyed my placement very much and believe I have learned/ improved a lot throughout the year, particularly my IT Excel skills. Before starting at Goodyear Dunlop I believed I had a basic understanding of Excel but it wasn’t until I started working in a real office environment that I realised that there is so much more to learn and how important Excel really is in any workplace for a variety of roles. I have also enjoyed networking with a variety of people across the business and think I have really benefitted from doing a year in industry.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I felt very valued, all the staff were very friendly and there was a great atmosphere within the office. Everyone feels valued and made to feel part of a great team. The office was always really calm and chilled out. Furthermore there was always someone on-hand willing to help out or teach me how to do things better etc. All the managers and directors were really approachable and easy to speak to and took a genuine interest in how I was getting on/ progressing etc.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I had great support from my manager on a daily basis and was regularly given opportunities to spend some time in other departments in order to gain a greater understanding of the company and the different roles available within it. Although my role was primarily in commercial operations my manger also gave me the freedom to spend some time in MRI (Market Research Intelligence), supply chain and the Motorsport department in order to broaden my learning etc. Through these experiences I now have a much clearer idea about what I want to do in the future, once I graduate from university.

    4/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • Some days were busier than others but I always had something to do. A large part of my role involved data entry, inputting fleet inspections which would be emailed/ faxed in on an almost a constant basis so I was kept busy. Furthermore, I was always aware that I could go help others with their work if need be or even just go and learn more about their daily tasks and role within the wider company etc. So it was pretty balanced.

    4/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a fair amount of responsibility during my placement. From the moment my predecessor left to go back to university I was left in charge of managing fleet inspections. I was made sole responsible for sending out reports to managers and directors but this is something I very much enjoyed as it helped me network throughout the department and business as a whole. It’s also improved my organisation skills as I had to keep on top of several deadlines at the same time. I was also put in charge of running the FTS (Failure To Serve) report which was then sent out to all the regional hub managers across the country.

    4/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I believe I have gained a variety of new skills throughout my year in industry; I've drastically improved my understanding of Excel and have much greater appreciation of the different roles found within a business. I believe these experiences will assist me not only during my final year at university, particularly throughout my dissertation, but also when applying for graduate schemes. Furthermore, I've also come to realise the importance of networking throughout a company/ industry using LinkedIn etc and how this can stand you in good stead in years to come.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The atmosphere was always very friendly and positive. From my very first day to the last everyone has always been very friendly and understanding whenever I’ve needed help with a task or report etc. Everyone is willing to go out of their way in order to help you learn and complete tasks in the best way possible. I would also say that the overall atmosphere is pretty calm and chilled out, which I enjoyed.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • I would say my placement has been very well organised. I’ve always had plenty of work to do day to day and always known who to go to if I ever needed help. There was also several training days whereby all the undergrads would take a whole day out of their day to day work in order to take part in an internal training course with a member of HR. The courses included personal effectiveness, project management, and communication skills and were all very well organised and beneficial.

    4/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • As mentioned above there were several training days aimed at improving and developing your workplace skills. However, all the training was also applicable to university life and I have learned a lot of new skills which I will take back to university and beyond. For example, by taking part in the presentation skills course (over 2 days) I believe I have significantly improved my ability at presenting and summarising in front of an audience. This is something I believe will really benefit me once I’m back at university, particularly since my course includes a lot of presenting both as a group and individually throughout a series of seminars.

    4/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised Canteen

    Sports and Social Club

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Company Parties/Events

    Above 25 days holiday

    4/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I would say there very appealing provided I get offered to right role. Although I wouldn't come back to do the role I am doing now, if I was offered to come back as a Market Research Intelligence graduate or a role in the motorsport department came available then I would give it some serious consideration as I very much enjoyed the short 'taster' sessions I had there.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • There was a great social scene amongst the undergraduates, with various nights out and parties every month. Although it was a bit slow at first, since all the undergrads started at different times throughout the summer. By September there was a great social scene and everyone got on well. Furthermore, as mentioned already all the permanent members of staff were always really friendly and there was a few staff nights out throughout the year.

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The cost of living varies depending on where you stay especially if you like living in the city centre. However, a lot of other undergrads lived in Erdington and Sutton Coldfield, which although a bit further out from the city centre still have some really good pubs and restaurants and mean you can save a bit on rent. I would also recommend house sharing with other undergrads since it’s a great way to make new friends quickly and you also save a bit of money through sharing the cost of bills and car sharing into work etc.

    4/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Although I worked in Erdington I and a few others lived in the city centre of Birmingham so the majority of the nights out we had were in and around the city centre, such as on Broad Street etc. However, we also went out in Sutton Coldfield a few times and I would recommend both as there are so many different places to go and a great variety of venues. Sutton is a bit quieter than the centre but still has a great atmosphere/ high street.

    4/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There were several socials/ nights out throughout the year but one of the best opportunities was to take part in the Tough Mudder event in May, which was all paid for by the company. There was also circuit training on a Tuesday and Thursday, which is a great way to make friends with people in other departments outside of work. There was also a football team you could take part in and around May time there is also an inter-departmental 5 a side football tournament to look forward to.

    4/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

West Midlands

June 2015


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