HR Summer Intern Review

I loved it! I was always kept busy with work that actually made a difference. There was a few times where it was stressful but it was something that you'd expect in a business like this. It was great though, I enjoyed myself because the work was interesting and the people in the business are so friendly and supportive that you always know you'll get help if you need it.

Very valued. You don't get treated like you'd think an intern would, you get treated like a colleague. I was given tasks that I didn't expect to, coming into a summer internship I was expecting to be crammed into a back room photocopying documents. Instead I was put into a team that was exciting and fun, where if I needed a hand I could ask them and vice versa.

I had weekly meetings with my line manager to give progress reports and it gave me a chance to ask for help when I needed it, I was working with a well trained team anyway so if I ever needed help I could just ask anyone around me. In my time here I needed help a few times on different subjects I wasn't too familiar with and if my manager was ever too busy I was always at least pointed in the right direction.

Yes, it was a good amount a work. It wasn't overwhelming (most of the time!) but it was enough that I was never bored. My work here was meaningful too, I could see it making a difference so it was kind of fun to watch things change around me the more I worked there. For the 10 weeks I had this placement I was kept busy with contacting people in the business, other companies and handling little projects that I picked up along the way.

Quite a lot, for being one of my first proper steps in my career development I didn't expect to be doing what I did. I was liaising with other companies, handling decisions on my own and speaking with other people in the business to collect information. It was good to see that the work I was doing made a difference and I was given work that matched the skills I had, I didn't feel undervalued.

I haven't went back to university yet to put what I've learned here to good use, but I know I understand the world of business a lot better now. UKAR is brilliant because it's a younger company that cares about your development. There's plenty of chances to develop yourself and all the skills are transferrable. Couldn't recommend a company higher for this section.

Quiet at times, but fun. HR is a good place to work since it's quite a lot of work but it doesn't mean the environment suffers for it. The layout of the office means you can work and still chat with your colleagues between emails. You still get the work done but you don't feel isolated, it's perfectly balanced between the fun and the efficiency of the office.

There was a bit of confusion at the start on systems, but that's expected when you're coming in to such a big business. It was only the first day and I had other things to be getting on with in the mean time so there was no time lost. It was a smooth process and then coming in to work next to the recruitment team gave a bit more insight into the processes that were put in place to get me where I was in that business. It was interesting and complex, but it was pulled off perfectly because the people fit into their roles in a way that helps the business and candidates.

I was only here over the summer so I couldn't take advantage of all the opportunities that UKAR offered, but it didn't mean I lost out. For the people working a year long placement there were plenty of training opportunities that would help for the future within the company or anywhere else. For the summer internship it's more limited because the time scale is a lot shorter but I didn't really expect to have the opportunities in the first place. In terms of general learning, I learnt a lot because it's my first time in a large company and I needed to catch up on some aspects of work life so the time was spent getting me up to a better standard of work!

The role I had was sort of confusing, I was working in HR but on a project that suited to a Marketing student. So being a marketing student it was a good opportunity that gave me marketing experience as well as helping me understand a lot of other parts of the business since I often got to work along side them. For me though I know I got a lot of experience and I'd like to work with UKAR in the future.

I lived at home with my parents over the summer so the cost of living wasn't high at all, knowing the average price for rent in places around the Sunderland area (usually anywhere between £350 to £550) though I knew I could afford to rent a house or flat anyway. Sunderland is a pretty cheap night for drinks (Monday, Thursday and Friday are all a good night!) so there's always a good laugh to find.

Night life is good, Sunderland is a pretty lively town over the weekdays and weekend so if you like drinking then the opportunity is always there! There's areas around Sunderland like Durham and Shields that are meant to be a good laugh too, but Sunderland is always a safe bet if you want a good/cheap night out! Highly recommend that!

There is the Sports and Social club where you pay a few pounds in a month and in return you get a big discount on loads of activities including theatre, days out and just general things that most people enjoy. As well as that, there are people celebrating birthdays and invite whole areas out so you get the chance to socialise with them, have a good laugh and make some friends.