Robert, Placement Student, Trainee Assistant HR Adviser
University of Plymouth, Plymouth City Council

In my placement as trainee assistant human resource (HR) adviser I am responsible for assisting the policy team in researching and writing policies and procedures for Plymouth City Council employees. For example, some days I research what other local authorities are doing in relation to a policy. This requires using email, telephone and internet to compare and contrast the views of other authorities. I also use HR advice websites to make sure we comply with current legislations.

The best part about my placement so far is the freedom I am given to use my own initiative. I have also enjoyed mixing with people from various backgrounds and in various roles.

At an early stage in my placement it seemed very daunting, but there is always support available when you require it.

The placement was advertised on Plymouth University’s intranet student pages. I applied because I wanted experience working in the public sector and because this particular placement appeared very structured, detailing clearly in the job profile what would be expected of me within the role.

During my placement I have received health and safety training, a corporate induction and attended a computer induction session. I will shortly be attending an intermediate excel course. It seems that as an employee, personal development is as equally important as work related development.

Since starting my placement for the council, my opinion of local government has changed. I understood that the council is responsible for a vast amount of services, but now I’ve leant that the council have a massive input in the way Plymouth looks and runs.

At this point, I am sure that I will gain a vast amount of knowledge and experience in my placement year. I then hope to take this knowledge and experience back to university and secure a good degree classification.

In the future I would like to work in the public sector in a similar role, further expanding my experience and knowledge within HR.