Abdul

Why did you apply for a placement? 

In order to give me the best possible chance of securing a role and establishing a career post-graduation, it made sense to me to have a solid professional experience in an organisation on my CV from early on. The placement year was an opportunity to learn and develop a number of transferable skills including stakeholder management, analysis and reporting, as well as be able to experience and get a sense of a professional working environment.

What was important to you when looking for it? 

For me, I wanted my placement to align with my degree, skills and interests as much as possible. Proximity to where I live was another aspect to ensure the commute was reasonable especially when I always lived with my family and wanted to save as much money as possible.

What advice would you give to future placement students?

Be open minded when it comes to companies, industries and roles. Embrace the placement year and see it as an opportunity to learn, even if it turns out to be something you don't want to do in the future you still gain valuable skills, knowledge and experience which is transferable to many organisations. 

Whilst earning a salary is important to cover costs and support one's lifestyle, the value gained from the professional experience far outweighs this and is beneficial in reaping both the tangible and intangible rewards after graduating. 

Networking and staying in touch with people, not just within your team but also with the wider-business and LinkedIn is a great platform for this. Where possible, attend work socials as this is an opportunity to unearth aspects of individuals' personalities that you never knew, potentially establishing commonalities in interests... don't forget to to just enjoy yourself and to have fun!

How did your placement shape your early career? 

Procurement was something I never knew about until I commenced my placement at Philips as a Procurement Intern, you could say it was something that I just fell into! 

During my time at Philips, I enjoyed learning about the importance that procurement plays as they help the company with sourcing products or services, and together with controlling costs and risks, therefore delivering value that was meaningful. It was this idea that made me want to continue a career after graduating where I can have a positive impact on a business and the wider-society.

What was your best memory? 

It would have to be the after-work socials as they were fun and enjoyable. The one that comes to mind is doing mini golf!