What I Learned From My Industrial Placement 

In our latest blog, undergraduate student Rajdeep Kaur reflects on her time working as a Management Intern at Enterprise Mobility. From staying open minded and making sure to ask questions, to maintaining a healthy work-life balance, Rajdeep shares the things she wished someone had told her before embarking on her placement journey. 

Deciding to complete a placement year was one of the best decisions I made during my time at university. I undertook my placement as a Management Intern at Enterprise Mobility and while I expected to develop professional skills, I didn’t realise how much I would grow personally too. 
Over the course of the year, I gained confidence and learned skills that I believe would benefit any student considering work experience. So, if you are about to start a placement or internship, here are a few lessons I wish someone had told me…

You do not need to know everything 

One of my biggest worries before starting was that I would be expected to know exactly what to do from day one, but this was far from the reality. Remember, work experiences’ exist so that you can learn, and both your colleagues and managers are aware of this. Once I accepted this, I became much more comfortable asking questions and learning from the people around me. 

Work-life balance is important 

At the beginning of my placement, I felt as if I needed to prove myself by constantly working hard and saying yes to everything. Although having a strong work ethic is important, I quickly realised that looking after yourself is just as essential. Making time to exercise, getting enough sleep and seeing friends and family helped me recharge and perform better at work. I also learned that employers value work-life balance too. For instance, after my six-month presentation the team celebrated by spending the afternoon quad biking together. It reminded me that building relationships and enjoying your time outside of work is just as important as working hard. 

Every experience teaches you something 

One of the most valuable lessons from my placement was realising that it was not necessarily the career path I wanted to follow in the long-term – and that’s completely okay! Initially I was worried that this meant I had chosen the wrong placement but looking back I understand that the experience helped me understand what I enjoy and what motivates me, as well as helping me develop many transferable skills. Sometimes, discovering what you do not enjoy is just as valuable as discovering what you do. Equally, you might apply for a role you are unsure about and end up loving it, so make sure to keep an open mind as it can lead to opportunities you never expected. 

Keep a record of your achievements 

Throughout the year I kept an excel spreadsheet where I noted key milestones and accomplishments including what I had learnt from them. This enabled me to identify areas where I wanted to improve to make the most of the remainder of my placement. The spreadsheet remained valuable after finishing my placement, especially when updating my CV and preparing for graduate job interviews. Having everything in one place made life significantly easier. 

Final thoughts 

Looking back, my placement gave me far more than professional experience, it helped me becomes more confident and resilient. It also gave me a much clearer idea of the type of career I aspire to pursue after university.

Just remember, nobody expects you to have all the answers, so ask questions, get involved, take opportunities as they come and don’t be afraid to make mistakes!