Learning & Development Undergraduate Review

On a day to day basis I have the responsibility of keeping up with the L&D inbox as I act as a point of contact for all L&D related enquiries, if anything needs directing elsewhere I usually reach out to the relevant team members. I also support the administration of our LMS (Learning Management Systems) and other digital platforms to ensure all colleagues have the access they require. Throughout my day I help coordinate all L&D activities and liaise with our external suppliers often to confirm all L&D activities are on track. Whilst I carry out these tasks I also take the lead on a number of other development initiatives and manage them.

At the beginning of my placement year my team made sure I understood the systems and how to carry out BAU tasks. Once I was confident with these tasks I was then given other exciting development initiatives to take lead on. One of the biggest projects I worked on was updating the business's digital induction, this involved me reaching out to colleagues in the wider business to learn about other departments and then implementing any desired changes into the induction. Whilst completing this project I learnt how to navigate different software when designing the induction, I gained exposure to the wider business and learnt about other business areas.
I also took the lead on many other programmes the L&D team were offering to the business. This responsibility meant I was looking after all coordination for these programmes and staying in contact with delegates to ensure they can attend all Workshops. The team carry post workshop evaluation surveys, I was responsible for collating these level 1 feedback results and presenting them back to the team to identify what the L&D team could change for colleagues and what colleagues enjoyed.

Whilst working at VWFS UK I have picked up and developed many skills. An example of this is time management and task prioritisation, at the beginning of my journey at VWFS I struggled prioritising tasks. My manager and I discussed this and she suggested techniques I could implement in my daily routine to develop this skill. Over the last few months I have worked on this and I can see that my routine has become more effective and efficient.
Another major skill I have developed is data analysis and problem solving, the L&D team are required to carry out a lot of reporting to ensure all colleagues have completed their digital learning. Whilst carrying out this reporting I have learnt how important data analysis is when ensuring all reporting is accurate. Over the months of reporting I have learnt how to analyse data effectively and how to determine whether the reporting is accurate.
Being in this role has strengthened my problem solving skills as many colleagues run into issues with their accounts, over the last few months I have understood what causes account issues and how I can resolve this. Some cases can usually be more difficult than others, this isn't always a bad thing as I am able to communicate with colleagues from other areas of the business and gain exposure to the wider business.
Whilst working at VWFS I have developed my written and verbal communication skills. Being the first point of contact for all L&D related queries in the inbox has aided me in developing my written communication skills. I have developed confidence and my verbal communication skills by attending many meetings with colleagues from the wider business and liaising with external suppliers.
There are many other skills I have picked up at VWFS too such as excel, presenting, coordinating, digital designing and they are all very rewarding as I can transfer all I have learnt over to my final year at university but also continue to develop these in my career.

Throughout my placement my team have been extremely supportive. We usually have meetings throughout the week to see how everyone is getting on and whether anyone has any issues they'd like to raise. These meetings are helpful as we understand what each team member is working and whether we can support them in any way. During the first 6 months of my placement my manager and I had monthly meetings to see how I was getting on with tasks and whether there was anything I needed support on. I found these meetings valuable as I documented what I would like to work on but also the things I enjoyed during that month. My team made me feel very comfortable as soon as I joined, if there was anything I struggled with I knew I could always contact my team.

The VWFS company culture is brilliant, initially it was a shock to me because everyone I came across was very friendly and welcoming. The culture is something that is always cared about and developed. Many colleagues care about the company culture and the business are always keen to get colleague's opinions and thoughts in to identify what areas could be improved.

My placement experience has been very valuable and it has exceeded my expectations. It has provided many valuable insights into the corporate world that I wouldn't have if I didn't take on this placement. VWFS has been a great place to work as an undergraduate as there are many opportunities to step out of your comfort zone and get involved in various projects.

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