IT and Business change Trainee Review

I joined the IT and Business Change Trainee scheme, I work with Suppliers, internal colleagues, to deliver IT services for our internal colleagues. Projects have involved writing business cases, managing suppliers within projects, developing a new NPS system to measure internal customer satisfaction with various products and services. Very interesting and varied.

Definitely. I have become a lot more confident, learned lots about myself, and gained lots of new technical skills. Also gained some Professional qualifications as part of the degree including PRINCE2 and ITIL. Main skills are project management, supplier management, communication, presentation skills, building business cases and self discipline. Each placement will develop different skills, often building upon each other

4 six month placements are challenging, if not quite long enough to truly feel like you're adding value. Constantly moving is challenging, but not an insurmountable challenge. I enjoyed it, especially towards the end of the programme ,where you are afforded more and more flexibility to drive your career in the direction you want to go

E.ON puts a lot of money into its trainee schemes, and many people within the business truly care about the people on it. This can really vary depending on where you are in the business, and part of your responsibility is to ensure that you find placements where you can truly feel valued and add value yourself.

Being a German company, very structured! 4X6 month placements, one of which is abroad. I went to Germany to experience life at corporate headquarters, a very different experience from the UK. Gave me a new perspective and definitely helped me to communicate better with international colleagues, even when speaking English

Training courses are not very well thought out, 2 short courses feel like they are putting you on courses for the sake of it, and are of limited use in the real world of work. Sent on one internal training course, which was about intercultural effectiveness, which was almost laughable in its cliches and stereotypes...

Very much depends on your manager and team. Once you complete your first six month placement, responsibility is with you to find another opportunity for your second spell of six months. Your fate is very much in your hands on this one. Play it smart and you will have a very good experience, you soon learn how to spot good opportunities from bad ones!

Very Generous, especially so when you go abroad for your international placement. Offices in the UK are usually quite out the way though (apart from city centre offices in Nottingham, but there is little IT activity there) so you'll realistically need to drive. Otherwise either live close to the office (Areas aren't particularly affluent, so cheap rent but not a great living experience. )

Trainee network is fantastic, often trainees will live together, go out on friday evenings. Especially when on international placement, often the key to enjoying these is to have a good network of people around you to explore your host country. Otherwise, difficulty is most sites are just off the motorway, so most people drive to work, meaning no lunchtime pints or similar. Also worth bearing in mind there is a zero tolerance attitude to alcohol at work, so a pint at lunchtime could technically get you fired.

Yes

Difficult to answer this one with nothing else to compare to, but when i look around at my friends I am doing pretty well, pleased with my job and my ability to influence key decisions which drive IT strategy. My manager is encouraging and understanding, which is also a real important factor for me.

Prepare. Know the industry, the trends, the difficulties faced by the industry. Know why uyou want to work in IT, how IT has changed the way customers interact, and how it can continue to transform how the indsustry looks. Know E.ON's position within the market, not just domestically but internationally, and what challenges that places on IT.