Accounting with Finance BA (Hons) student Billy Stone shares his experience of his placement year in Finance.
Why did you decide to take a placement year?
I decided to take a placement year because I wanted hands on experience in a field that I have been studying for.
How did you find the placement search/the support on offer?
I found the placement team and the support it offered great from helping me sort out my CV to talking me through the whole application process.
How did you find your placement role?
I found my placement after I gave up and accepted that I wouldn't get a placement but then the placement team called me to apply to a role that just opened up and I thought one more application won't change anything but I will apply anyway. Surprisingly I got the job and started my placement year.
Describe your company/your role, what you learnt, skills developed, highlights of your placement
I worked for CooperCompanies which is the parent company of CooperVision, a contact lens company, working as an Internal Audit Intern.
I learnt a lot about the company and Audit as a whole. I worked with different systems such as Blackline, Auditboard and Workiva doing different types of Audits across many countries for financial close, Leases, Inventory and Revenue controls.
I also helped with risk-based audits and worked with different teams across the globe.
Some highlights I had on my placement was networking with people in the field I wish to pursue as well as meeting with other placement students in all different departments.
How did your studies support your placement year?
Learning about different terminology and meanings of financial words really helped me understand where to look for financial figures and how to calculate figures to match and be supported.
How was your placement overall - meeting or exceeding expectations?
My placement was really great and I loved working in the same building as other financial professionals to get a look at what other roles do.
How are you finding Uni now that you have returned from placement? Is it supporting your final year of studies?
It was a little hard, remembering the formulas and theories but I became a course rep and with some feedback to the lectures all the placement students on a finance course requested some ‘back to Uni support lessons’ as a reminder regarding calculations and theories, for their final year of studies.
Any advice to second year students when searching for a placement?
Don't give up on the chance to gain real, industry experience.
What would you say to any student considering doing a placement?
Go for it. It will add value to your CV and your knowledge of the working world you will be joining after you graduate.