Edward de Petrucci

Country of origin: United Kingdom

Placement: Hewlett Packard

My role consisted of analysing current and historic data to determine growth strategies for the Printing and Personal Systems (PPS) divisional business to business operations in the UK. A lot of my work was investigative and ad hoc; often the reports I generated and the presentations I gave had real influence on business strategy and direction.

Moreover, the strategy team I operated within is an umbrella strategy team for many different business units that cater for different markets, and so the greatest highlight of my role was the exposure and breadth of perspective I was privileged to. This allowed me to understand how strategy is implemented in different market segments due to different considerations in particular contexts.

The most appropriate skills and qualities to have for this role are an investigative aptitude, a disposition for attention to detail, Excel and reporting skills, and a desire to learn.

Generally, an internship at HP offers a vast amount of training and skills development opportunities. There is also a fantastic community where everyone is friendly and willing to help. As an intern at Bracknell you are situated with approximately 40 other interns which form a sub-community – much like a University society, there’s a lot to get involved in and a lot of fun to have outside of work.

Lastly, it is important to mention the employment prospects that a placement at HP entails. Completing a placement at HP will fast-track your application to the assessment day stage for a graduation scheme. Moreover, HP recognises that the placement offers a great foundation for a career at HP, and so if you take the opportunity to prove the value and initiative you can add to HP while on placement, you may earn the opportunity of a career.