Victoria Billings
I joined Worcester in July 2003 after graduating from Cardiff University with a 2:1 BA (Hons) in French, German & Business Studies.
I started my career here within the HR department on a 6 month placement. During this time, I was able to work with people across various departments and develop an understanding of the company values and culture. When the placement came to an end, I was given the opportunity to undertake the role of Project Co-ordinator for the Managing Director and the Finance Director. This was a role that gave me the chance to get involved in a number of high profile projects, many of which were focussed around Marketing.
In June 2005, I was offered a management position within the Marketing department. Management training was provided alongside any support I required to develop the role. Worcester also funded my further education course to gain my Professional Diploma in Marketing.
The career development opportunities at Worcester are vast but as with any career, it is the people within the organisation that make it a company that you want to develop you career with.
I have no doubt that with the ongoing development programmes provided at Worcester, I can look forward to the challenges and opportunities that my future career here has to offer."
Chris Wilson
"I moved to Worcester after graduating in 2006 from the University of Sunderland with a 2:1 BA (Hons) in International Business, to take up a role within the logistics department of BBT as a graduate trainee.
I found the graduate schemes being offered by the company to be very competitive to that of any other scheme being offered to recent graduates. Opportunities are presented to work in other departments within the business and additionally, offer the option of a secondment working abroad in another division of the company.
Although my particular scheme finds me predominantly placed within the various areas of logistics, a number of projects I have been involved in already have seen me gain exposure to several different areas of the business which has broadened my knowledge of the firm on a whole.
Despite finding the transition from student life to the career path daunting at first, the way the schemes are structured and the friendly environment of the organisation, all help to make settling in very easy. Training and support are always available but also, importantly, always with enough free reign to allow me to make my own decisions and personally develop."
Richard Millard
"My year here at BBT Theromtechnology has been a thoroughly enjoyable one due to how welcoming and supportive my colleagues have been from the moment I started here. I was immediately considered as part of the team and given a high level of responsibility in the various tasks that I have undertaken throughout the year, whether it be communicating on an external basis with merchants/ software companies or dealing internally with departmental issues and procedures. These experiences have helped increase my understanding of a business environment and the importance of inter-company communication as well as on a personal level teaching me the importance to work effectively as both part of a team and, when needs be, as an individual.
Out of the office being an intern at BBT is highly enjoyable as there are many other interns/ graduates of various nationalities meaning most nights there is an activity of sorts going on. Through this I have formed many good friendships which have lead to my time here being all the more enjoyable.
This, coupled with the ‘real’ working experience, means my year here has been an extremely valuable one in preparing me for my future after I graduate next year."
Bryan Hatchett
TTGB/SAW, A Placement at Worcester, Bosch Group
As a joint degree student studying Accountancy and Business (at the University of Central England, Birmingham) a placement as an Intern in a Sales department would not necessarily have been an obvious choice. However, at the interview the job role was described as being split into two distinctly separate categories. These two areas created quite a contrast and, in effect, sculptured two different job roles into one, twelve month placement allowing me to maximise the opportunity.
The first half of the placement was as part of the Sales project team involved in preparing the department for an Internal Audit of the Quality Management Systems and Procedures to conform to ISO 9000 Standards. This involved constructing several department handbooks by logging the objectives, functions and structure of the External Sales and Sales Support department. Once constructed it was possible to identify the key processes and procedures and log these as flow charts, with descriptions, and follow the set procedure to get them registered with the Quality department. It also meant taking part in Management review meetings in the run up to the audit and being involved in preparing the members of the department in the event of being audited. This area of the placement has allowed a good insight into the make up of the business, the management structure and formulation of systems and procedures to permit the effective running of the business. It has also provided scope for an in-depth topic for a final year project.
Secondly, the department was looking to monitor different aspects of Sales, Training and the associated costs and benefits due to the company’s drive to increase awareness and the functionality of Continuous Improvement (CIP). This would involve extensive statistical work including creation of PDCA Charts, Cockpit Charts, other standard statistical measurement methods, designing reports and the upkeep of all. This area of the placement has been the closest comparison with modules undertaken at University on a Business Degree and provided a good opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge gained into a real business environment.
An added bonus of the placement has been the growth of the Renewable Technologies market (Solar Thermal and Ground Source Heat Pumps). This area of the business needed a system to be able to monitor the status of ongoing projects. It has involved designing a report for the sales force to complete and return by email on a weekly basis, the continuous upkeep and development and the weekly production and distribution, all of which I now have sole responsibility for.
Other, on going, aspects of the job have been helping with tender documentation, assisting with general requirements from the external sales force, processing of assessment forms, authorising of spare parts distribution and boiler first aid kits (development of the Extended Warranty System) and the daily upkeep of records on the SalesNet customer database. These other areas encompass the more routine day to day tasks that have to be completed within the department.
What has a placement with Worcester meant to me?
A placement at Worcester Bosch has allowed me:
- An opportunity to work in Sales Support with a market leading manufacturer that is part of the global organisation, Robert Bosch GmbH
- A unique placement, in that all departments are housed on one plant and allows for insight into how departments interact and function
- To undertake varied, interesting work that visibly makes a difference to the department and an influence on the company
- To meet, interact, help and support lots of people in one of the larger departments in the company (with 30+ office based staff and 70+ external staff)
- To feel welcome from day one with all the training and support required and the opportunity to bring my university based learning into a business environment and turn theory into practice
- To develop transferable skills that cannot be taught at University such as social interaction (in and out of the office), communication and common sense in certain business situations
My 12 month placement working for Worcester Bosch has been very enjoyable. It has allowed me to develop by business knowledge whilst making friends and enjoying the social aspects that it has to offer. I feel that I have also benefited in other ways by taking on this opportunity. Many students at university will be well suited to the education system and may not understand the day to day logistics of working in an office based environment. Similarly, as a mature student, I spent 11 years working in a different trade and had no experience of working in an office. This placement has not only given me that experience, which has enhanced my CV (thus making me more employable when I graduate), but also given me a good insight into different areas of the business world and what fields I may be interested in as a career upon completion of my degree. I would strongly advise all students complete a placement year and furthermore I would happily recommend that that year is with Worcester Bosch.