We're halfway there - how did that happen?

  As the year comes to an end, it’s hard to believe I’m halfway through my placement! Since my last blog, the months have truly flown by, and it’s been great to pause and reflect on what has been nothing short of a fantastic experience. Below are some of my highlights and takeaways from the past few months.

Some of the standout days include my time with the Outreach Development Team. I’ve had the chance to represent Unilever at Imperial College Business School and at Bath Spa University, the latter giving me the opportunity to revisit Bath for the first time since I left in June. I was quite surprised to learn about the new U3 and U4 bus routes! These days involved informing students all about Unilever and what it’s like to work here, highlighting our Apprentice, Industrial Placement and Unilever Future Leaders (graduate scheme) programmes. To top it off, the mini-products we give away are also very cool.

 Another standout experience was Domestos Germ Busters Day, where I delivered a one-hour presentation to a class of Year 1 pupils on how to be germ-busting superheroes. It certainly wasn’t a normal day at the office! It was not only a lot of fun, but also heartwarming to see the impact we had on young lives.

For all of these exciting one-offs, it’s the day-to-day experience of life at Unilever that has taught me the most about the professional world. A role in communications is incredibly diverse, so much so that I still don’t have a neat answer to the question, “So, what do you do at Unilever?” I see my experience as divided into three main areas: the creative, the secretarial, and the strategic. Yes, communications includes writing nicely worded articles, updates and invitations, but I love how much more there is to it. Recently, I have been involved in interview filming (learning how to set up and cameras), video editing, graphic design, scheduling invites, writing articles and promotions and so much more. Throughout this experience, I’ve learnt how much you can’t do things alone. I am incredibly grateful to be surrounded and mentored by a team and manager who genuinely care and invest in helping me become the best professional I can be and because of that, I aspire to give 110% back.

Outside of work, diving into everything London has to offer has been brilliant. Even my walking route in along the Thames has been a sight I'm grateful for every day. I’ve built quite the bucket list of places to see, and it’s been a real pleasure ticking some of them off! Whilst I love London, its been great to stay connected with Bath through my role as the academic rep for my placement and Study Year Abroad (SYA) cohort. I’m passionate about ensuring that the distance between students and the university doesn’t lead to a lack of support or communication. The Student Staff Liaison Committee has been a great way to voice student concerns and ideas. If you’re a politics student currently on placement or SYA, please feel free to get in touch if there’s anything you’d like me to pass on.

A further opportunity I've had while in London is is continuing my military training with the University of London Officer Training Corps (ULOTC). For those who haven’t heard of the OTC, it’s a training corps that provides university students with basic military training as well as adventurous opportunities to get a real taste of army life. It’s been a fantastic way to meet new people and push myself out of my comfort zone through an organisation that definitely brings a sense of adventure.

To top all of this off, the Unilever end of year party was a fantastic night and a great way to round off the year. I can’t wait to see what else is to come in what has already been an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable journey. Till next time!