I have come away from this summer at Enterprise with so many new skills and additional knowledge that I would never have expected when I first applied over 6 months ago. I first heard of the summer internship programme from my careers network at the University of Birmingham, where I am currently in my second year studying Economics.
What appealed to me most about Enterprise was how I could still undertake a first-class internship whilst still being close to home and spending time with friends and family who I don’t get to see very often due to university commitments. The application process was exactly the same as for the graduate role, there was an online application followed by a telephone interview, a branch interview and then an assessment centre.
When I first started working at Enterprise I wasn’t too sure what it would be like, but this summer has definitely exceeded my expectations. I have seen first-hand the responsibilities that come with running a business and in the process, I have gained skills in customer service, sales, accounts and business acumen. These have provided me with a great experience that will set me aside from competition in the future and will boost my employment prospects when I graduate.
The one thing that struck me the most about Enterprise were the people. Everybody was so friendly and willing to help answer any questions I may have had. Each person in the company started off in the same position as a management trainee and hence happy to support and teach you all in the ins-and-outs of the business.
I was given the same responsibilities as everyone else, this made me feel very useful and allowed me to jump into the role without hesitation. I experienced a huge amount of investment into my learning, from intense training at head office to frequent on-the-job training throughout the summer. I was given a programme to follow which ensured that I had a chance to experience each part of the business, from admin to sales targets and through to the accounting side of the business.
On a day-to-day basis, customer service and sales were the top priority. I dealt with customers, from retail to insurance to corporate customers, both face-to-face and on the phone to satisfy their needs and making sure they were completely happy with our service. This kept me constantly on my toes, learning to be flexible under difficult situations.
Looking back on the summer I have grown personally as an individual and have learnt so many skills that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity without Enterprise. I can now take these transferable skills into my final year at university allowing me to be in a good position when I start.
I would recommend Enterprise as a company to anyone, it has been a great learning experience and I have taken so much away from it. There is definitely much more to car rental that you would first imagine! My advice for anyone thinking of doing an internship is definitely apply, take advantage of the opportunities available as they are vast and be open-minded, willing to learn and finally ask lots of questions.
If you want to experience what it’s like to work at Enterprise, there’s no better way than to apply for one of our internships.
