Valuable Career Lessons I learned during Placement as an International Student
Nahiyan Nawal Maisha
BA(Hons) International Business
Hi, I'm Nahiyan, a student in the Huddersfield Business School at the University of Huddersfield. I'm here to share my experience on placement.
Hi! My name is Nahiyan and I am from Bangladesh. I’m currently in my third year of a BA(Hons) degree in International Business on a placement year with Cummins Inc.
Cummins is a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures a broad portfolio of power solutions including internal combustion, electric and hybrid integrated power solutions, and is a global power leader that supports sustainable technology. Their headquarters are located in Columbus, Indiana, USA, but I am based in Huddersfield working for Cummins Turbo Technologies Ltd., one of many Cummins business segments.
I work in the Global Marketing Operations Team as a Marketing Operations Placement Student supporting communication across all Cummins branches. My role involves project management and Cummins Collateral and Digital Asset management. In my role I use an array of digital marketing tools along with Cummins’ own custom tools including a Digital Asset Manager, e-commerce software and suppliers’ ordering portals.
Undertaking a placement has certainly given me a head start to my career as an international student living in the UK. It also has given me key takeaways that I will apply in my future career journey.
Here are 5 valuable career lessons that I have I learnt during my placement year:
1. Be Proactive
Most placements are 12 to 13 months long, which means you have a limited period working for your placement company, so make the most of it! I started in July 2022 and you would be surprised by how fast time flies! Hence, I would advise you to be proactive and hold yourself accountable for your career and personal development. Draft a plan and set yourself realistic goals that you would like to achieve through your placement and communicate that with your manager. I have put myself forward for as many opportunities as possible during my placement. That includes travelling to other Cummins offices in the UK, presenting in front of colleagues, shadowing the sales team for a day, actively volunteering in local community development projects and collaborating with colleagues from different teams in employee resource groups and short-term projects.
2. Network, Network, Network
Nowadays, ‘networking’ is a commonly used buzzword in the corporate world. Nevertheless, there is certainly a lot of value to it that I have been able to experience firsthand. Networking has enabled me to meet industry experts and gain valuable advice and mentorship that I will treasure for the rest of my career. It can be daunting to put yourself forward, but it is definitely worth it! I have spent many hours in Zoom meetings and in-person networking events, which has enhanced my knowledge about the industry and fostered a deeper connection with my colleagues and helped me to understand the culture and mannerisms of working in a corporate setting, which might be unfamiliar to a lot of people initially. As a result, I have become more confident.
3.Stay Connected
Although you are focusing on your career, it is important to stay connected with your other passions and your communities. Remember that you still have access to all events happening at the University. Make sure to take advantage of it to the fullest. The university hosts countless opportunities to socialise after your working day. It may be hard when trying to keep up with all of your deadlines on your placement, but reconnecting with your communities on campus and beyond is equally as important as work.
4. Take Breaks
Breaks contribute significantly toward your productivity and job satisfaction. Most placement roles offer paid annual leave so make sure to effectively utilise it.
Book reset days to recharge yourself by socializing with friends and family, travelling or even taking long walks in a park. I have used my time off during placement to focus on travel, my fitness journey and to discover new hobbies.
5. Final Advice
I think the best advice is to not forget to enjoy yourself. You will be offered unique and exciting experiences through your placement, so try and make the most of it! If you haven’t decided to pursue a placement yet, I highly recommend you do that. The university placement teams offer a wide variety of support services to help you through every step of the way in your placement journey.
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