HR Graduate Review

I'm on a HR graduate scheme which involves rotations. The first area I was in was Talent & Skills, where I spent 9 months supporting some of our development and recognition schemes. I was working directly with my line-manager on most things, so did not have a traditional team-structure around me - my managers trusted me with the responsibility of self-ownership for most of my work. I have now moved into HR Projects where the team dynamic has been a shift for me, in that I am surrounded by more formal teams. I am now supporting a range of HR-related projects that are closely aligned to compliance, policies and D&I.

HR is very much a new area for me - I have no previous professional or academic experience in the field. The role has definitely enabled me to put myself forward and gain valuable practical experience from day 1. I definitely feel as though both my self-management and leadership skills have seen great levels of growth and improvement. The CIPD apprenticeship I'm on also allows me to underpin theory with some of what I'm witnessing and partaking in at work.

Fujitsu as an employer has completely exceeded my expectations - the company itself is very flexible and we are trusted to self-manage how we complete our work. The culture feels inclusive and genuine, though I do see some areas of improvement when it comes to representation of minority groups (though this has nothing to do with how welcome I feel in the business). My manager in my first rotation has also helped put my entire experience in a very positive light. I've always felt empowered by her to do well - I hope this has been reflected in how I approach and deliver my work.

My rotations are very much based on business need, so cannot really be fully confirmed too far in advance - for instance, I was supposed to start in HR Projects, though I ended up starting in Talent & Skills as there was need there. My second rotation was supposed to be in Reward, but there was higher need in Projects, etc. In terms of actually ensuring different rotations are available, the company has done well to make sure we are experiencing different areas of HR as graduates. Our graduate modules are also very enjoyable.

The support received is great - I always feel supported. As mentioned, my first line-manager was an amazing help with getting me settled into working life and the ways of Fujitsu. Wider, the business itself is also supportive with how it assists employees, even with non work-related issues. I have managed to use the Employee Assistance Programme to address my mental health & well-being. The availability of support is clear and transparent. They also allocate 20% of our working-time to be used towards our apprenticeship, which is really helpful, though sometimes I am unable to take advantage of that when my workload picks up.

The support offered has been clear and transparent. One thing I would like to mention was that I was a little uncertain of things when first starting - we did not have our CIPD logins immediately when we were required to start researching for our first assignment, and we were not notified of our skill coach until a few weeks after starting the programme.

It helps me take a step back and perhaps think objectively with how I approach projects, aligning it to theory studied.

I've been involved with the CSR aspect - volunteering wherever I can. I think it's fantastic that Fujitsu has so many opportunities for us to get involved and give back to different communities. There is also an on-site gym which has been great for my own well-being, both mental and physical.

Yes

It's been a great first experience into working life - very supportive and informative environment.

Be completely open and honest about your expectations and goals - similarly, be open-minded about the opportunities that present themselves to you, even if they may not be exactly what you were after.