Winners and finalists
: Centrica
Company background
Centrica is a top 30 FTSE 100 company involved in the complete energy journey from sourcing to supplying. We have growing businesses across the UK, North America and Western Europe.
Total number of employees
33,000 employees with approximately 50 summer placement students
Operational countries
Centrica has operations across the UK, Western Europe, North America, Nigeria, Egypt and Trinidad.
Challenge
To provide a positive, structured learning experience for students whilst delivering real value and return on investment to the wider business. To develop a pipeline of proven talent that will progress onto the graduate programme upon graduation
Name of work experience scheme
Centrica Summer Placement Programme. Currently recruiting its fourth 10 week summer placement intake.
Name of person responsible for scheme
Yvonne Crew – Senior Graduate Recruitment Manager.
Steps to implementation
- The Centrica summer placement programme was introduced in 2006 when 11 students joined for 10 weeks and has since seen rapid growth to 31 in 2007, 54 in 2008 and 54 in 2009.
- Since its introduction in 2006 the summer placement scheme has been aligned with the graduate programme in respect of the disciplines being recruited.
- In 2007 finance and information systems students were recruited in addition to the general management students and in 2008 engineering and geoscience streams were introduced.
Benefits
- Fresh set of ideas brought to new/existing project/task.
- Shows the significant value summer students/graduates can add in the long term.
- Key piece of assessment for progression to graduate programme.
- Gives future UK workforce experience prior to joining industry.
- Gives students insight into working for Centrica and whether this is right career choice.
- Chance to put academic learning into practice.
- Relationships with HE bodies built through recruitment campaign.
Results
- Expectations are that a significant proportion of the summer placement students will be made an offer to join.
- 100% retention rate of summer placement students recruited onto the graduate programme since its inception; including geoscience and engineering disciplines.
- Students are given real projects that when completed add significant value to the business.
- 96% of line managers indicated that placement students added value.
- 86% of line managers said they would employ another student at the next intake.
- We have 4 previous 2007 interns joining the 2009 graduate programme demonstrating our long standing commitment to quality work experience provision and continued development of our students.
- We take the time to evaluate the contribution work experience has made to the business and the contribution that our business has made to students opportunities.
- 75% of line managers are still in touch with their students after they have left.
Lessons learnt
- Fundamental learning in 2008 that obtaining feedback from the students and line managers will continually improve overall experience of those involved.
- A number of items fed back after the 2008 surveys have been implemented/changed for the 2009 programme. Main areas of change: line manager and student expectations matched; clear communication between line manager and student; development path for students defined.
- We are the only summer placement employer that provides paid accommodation to our summer interns. This is something that we are actively marketing based on feedback from previous intakes. This allows our interns to take up wide range of opportunities across very diverse streams.
Future plans
- Centrica will again grow adding another 10 places to the 2009 intake in line with demands from the business.
- Centrica will progress to standard of excellence within the provision of providing quality work experience.
Key tips
- A structured induction is key to communicating expectations early on.
- Ensure their manager and team are trained and prepared to receive them and work with them.
