Over the last fortnight, we have been lucky enough to host four work experience students from Lingfield Notre Dame School in Surrey. For five days they joined us to learn about all aspects of business – from our company history to what it takes to work in operations, administration and finance. We also looked at how to make them more employable as candidates, with CV writing workshops and mini interviews to help them with future job applications.
After undertaking the Gallup StrengthsFinder® assessments, they learned about the Myers-Briggs personality types from our in-house behavioural coaches and talked about how their own personality types and strengths might influence their future career and subject matter choices. A bright and enthusiastic group, they went on to explore how learning about strengths could be used in schools to help children gain a better understanding of themselves and their peers.
We put them through their paces as they took part in some of the Behavioural Assessment activities that our clients might recognise from our training events and were delighted to see them set a new record for fastest to solve an infamously tricky blindfolded challenge!
The students’ final task was to use all of their newly acquired business knowledge to write a proposal for their own business and present it to the PCSG team. Given the PCSG office space as their new head office, they had to decide what the business was, what each of their roles would be and how they would lay out the office space effectively to run their business. With a well thought out business plan and a confident presentation, the team played on each other’s strengths well to ensure every angle of the business was covered. We will be looking forward to seeing new teen lingerie brand, Sussurro, (Italian for ‘whisper’) hit the high street any day now…!
We hope they enjoyed their time here as much as we enjoyed having them and that they will be able to take their new found knowledge and confidence forward to teach others and be successful in all they put their minds to. Read below for some wonderful comments about their experiences:
Anna “Thank you so much PCSG for this amazing opportunity – I’ve learnt so much! Not only do I now have an understanding of a business environment, but I feel like I am now more prepared for work and am better equipped to choose my career. Working in this friendly environment has got me excited about my future. Thanks again!”
Jasmine “This work experience was so useful because it gave an insight into a really well produced and growing company. It also helped me to discover myself and my strengths through the psychological side and it made us realise the impacts of psychology within a team. Thank you so much for this opportunity to experience this, I will definitely recommend it to others looking!”
Laura “Thank you PCSG for this eye opening work experience! I’ve gotten to know so much about the different roles in the workplace and myself through Myers Briggs and StrengthsFinder. The psychology element was extremely useful and will definitely benefit me later in life. Again thank you for this opportunity! I would definitely recommend to others!”
Matthew “I would like to thank PCSG so much for this absolutely brilliant work experience! I did not feel bored or alone/isolated at any point at all. Now I know in a much greater depth of detail how a business grows and works. The MBTI and StrengthsFinder has not only helped me as a person, but also to understand others and how to make an effective team. Thank you ever so much for this mind blowing experience.”