I originally applied to take part in Enterprise’s ‘Management Undergraduate Of The Year’ competition after a lecturer at my university suggested I apply. The application process involved a few tests, telephone interviews, then a trip to Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s European head office in Surrey for an assessment day. This was a great experience and I learnt a lot about what an internship with Enterprise would involve.
I did really well in the Undergraduate of the Year competition and although I didn’t win the award, I received a call from Enterprise’s head of recruitment for Scotland – Graeme Butler, who encouraged me to apply for a summer internship. I was excited at the prospect, and after an additional interview with my local branch, I was offered the internship.
The first week involved a week’s training in Enterprise’s Scottish head office in Stirling. This was a great experience and I learnt a lot about Enterprise’s core values, which include giving their customers the best service possible as well as looking after their employees. Core values I knew I could easily embrace and benefit from!
After all the training I couldn’t wait to start putting my new skills into practice.
I arrived at my branch in Aberdeen the following week and everyone was very friendly and willing to help me settle in. I soon realised that no matter which Enterprise branch I went to, everyone is always very friendly and they all love their job. The company has a refreshingly positive culture and a highly motivated workforce.
I was soon meeting all the personal targets that were set for me and felt like I was really contributing to my branch’s success. Enterprise gives you a lot of responsibility early on and everyone works as a team in helping you achieve all your goals. Even better, during my summer internship I have learnt important transferable customer service and communications skills that I’m sure will carry on using throughout my whole career.
The best part of the internship for me was learning that my hard work was paying off: within my first 5 weeks I received a 100% customer service pin badge. This is Enterprises’ way of recognising employees who have provided customers with truly memorable customer service. Within Enterprise there are many opportunities to progress and my managers were always keen to help me learn and ensured I gained the maximum practical work experience from my internship. Like all other employees I was given lots of training and opportunities to learn more about the company and the role, and I can say that I enjoyed every minute of it.
At the end of the internship I had to prepare and deliver a presentation of my experience to Enterprise’s senior managers. This was an excellent opportunity to provide feedback on areas I thought the business could improve upon, proving that Enterprise values every employee’s opinion – even those on a summer internship.
I still have to finish my Degree in Management at Robert Gordon University, but I plan to continue working with Enterprise on a part-time basis, as I have thoroughly enjoyed my internship.
I would definitely recommend joining Enterprise for a placement, an internship or even a full-time job. My experience proves that every employee matters – whether you’re an intern, on a placement or a full time employee, and the sense of achievement you get from the job is really exciting.
My advice for new interns would be to make sure you always ask any questions you might have; go the extra mile for customers whenever you can and always try your best. You will learn something new each day!
Taking part in the Undergraduate Of The Year competition was great, but my summer internship really has been even better. To anyone who is thinking about applying, I would suggest taking that leap and search for summer internships now.
