Industrial Placement Student - Asset Management (Buildings) Review

by Network Rail

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

Rating

4.2/5
  • The Role
    4.6
  • The Company
    4.0
  • The Culture
    4.0

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year at Network Rail and learnt a wide range of information and developed a range of skills that will benefit my future career.

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • I felt very valued by my colleagues. With the level of responsibility I was given, I felt as if I was viewed as a fully contributing member of the team, as opposed to a student that is only around for 12 months.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • If I ever needed any guidance from my manager, or any member of the team, they were all more than ready to help.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • With any job you have your busy days and your quieter days. I felt that I had a constant stream of work to keep busy. I enjoyed the challenge of balancing the time spent on different schemes during busier periods.

    5/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a suprising amount of responsibility. Within my first 3 months, I was attending meetings by myself for the schemes I was involved with, as well as attending meetings when my mentor couldn't. In such meetings I felt more than able to contribute where required. Certain schemes I completely took the lead for my team which was very challenging but an awesome learning experience.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • A lot of the skills I have developed over this year originate from what I have learnt from textbooks/lectures at university. It was extremely beneficial to use my placement year as an opportunity to put the skills in to practice in a real working environment.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office is very large and open plan, so there is definitely a social element to the working day. However, getting my head down and working when required is never an issue. The location within the office for my team provided a good working/social balance.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • Overall it was very well organised with regards to assignment of work and training on IT systems. However, my line of work required working in a particular area that necessitates specialist training. I wasn't booked in on the training course before my placement and had to wait a few months for a space on a course. I felt that this could have been organised prior to my start date but it wasn't the end of the world!

    4/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • As part of my career path, I will undertake my RICS APC assessment. I wasn't fully aware of the requirements to gaining chartered status, therefore the company paid for a training course that I attended which really benefited my personal development.

    5/5

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

    Subsidised Canteen

    Sports and Social Club

    Company Car

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    National Travel

    International Travel

    Financial Bonus

    Company Parties/Events

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Above 25 days holiday

    Working from home

    Healthcare from home

    Healthcare/Dental

    Travel loan

    3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I have learnt a great deal on my placement year and would love to return to the company on completion of my studies. I have been recommended by my line manager for the graduate scheme which was one of my personal goals for the year.

    5/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • I have made really good friends with 2 other placement students, one of whom I lived with for the placement year. We will all be keeping in touch. Apart from these 2 individuals, other placement students were not as keen to socialise which was a shame.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • I rented an apartment within a mile of the office at a very reasonable price. Location-wise, my accommodation was also close to the city centre which was an added bonus. Socialising in Manchester is quite expensive but wasn't too bad considering I was working and earning.

    4/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • The nightlife in Manchester is great. There is a wide range of venues to appease many different tastes.

    5/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • I went away for 2 days to the lakes with placement students and graduates to raise money for a children's charity, taking part in a range of activities and socialising. I felt there could have been more activities organised, however I realise this isn't always possible due to the large amount of people that would be involved.

    4/5

    Report this review

Details

Placement (10 Months+)

Property Development, Surveying

North West

July 2015


View More Reviews