IS Industrial Placement Student Review

I have really enjoyed my placement. overall, My first real experience working within a office environment has been good. National Grid really want there graduates/Industrial placement students to progress as an individual and a National Grid member of staff. They give you lots of opportunity to get out and see the core business away from your day-to-day job which is really good.

I have felt really valued by the staff, although a very big company, within IS you get to know people very quickly due to having to work with everyone. Everyone is happy to help you learn and tell you a little about what they do which has been helpful. I sometimes felt that because your an industrial placement the work quality can sometimes to admin, but if discussed with manager this issue can be rectified and your manager likes the fact you want more of a challenge. Overall the people in National Grid are really cool, even though the average age is 50 odd. But its good because this makes all the graduates/industrial placements a closer group.

In sense of support from manager's its endless. You have your line manager who you work with daily and they give you your work. Your business coordinator who works closely with you within the IS department. And then someone from HR who work with you on the placement as a whole. All of these people I have regular catch ups with to ensure i'm reaching my full potential.

This is like every job i guess, up and down like a yo-yo. Some days you could be starting early and finishing late because you have deadlines, another could be twiddling your thumbs while your waiting for your manager to find you some more work. But i feel overall the workload has been ok.

I have been given some excellent project which have required a lot of responsibility i have had to create a strategy to spend 4.4m. Lead on the role out of mobile print service to National Grid. Overall a lot of responsibility but again, this was when the projects were running. Someones small less important things to get on with.

Some of the project management work i have been competing may link into my degree, but overall they have not really crossed paths apart from really being IT in general.

I have been lucky that i have had a really good team that have a good laugh in the office. In general most people around the office are always up for a chat. There is always something going on in the National Grid Warwick office, so its a good place to be based.

Yes, from day one the placement has been well organised. From training on day 1 to 3, to reviews set in your diary. My laptop and phone were waiting for me when i arrived. The only thing i believe National Grid should ensure before you arrive, is that you have access to everything. As a lot of new members of staff are always waiting to get permissions into shared areas, and i can take up to 5 working days to process.

National Grid give you a small induction training to increase your professional confidence. They have a number of different courses you can apply to go on internally. I was lucky that IS allowed me to complete my ITIL foundation course.

I really believe that National Grid want there placement students to come back on the graduate scheme. They cant stress enough that if you do well then you will be invited back. Also i believe then as a graduate you can progress quickly as they have invested within you so much and... your young, which is rare in National Grid.

There is a good social scene in National Grid. There is a lot of work nights out. IS graduate and industrial placements have a social every month.

I lived in Leamington Spa which is reasonably priced. That's not much to do in Leamington Spa to do but Birmingham is only 30 mins on the train.

Yes considering Leamington Spa is small, it has a lot of pubs and bars. Also a lot of Warwick University student live in leamington Spa which makes it good.

I haven't really tried to be honest, but i know people who have joined the local tennis and running club, I guess there will be if you want to find something.