Location: Victoria, Australia
Studied: Bachelor of Commerce
Where: Monash University
Placement Date(s): December 2004 – February 2005
Why did you choose to do a Placement with Shell?
Choosing Shell was relatively easy, especially as a Marketing student, not only do they have one of the most recognizable brands in the world, they are also a huge multinational operating in 140 countries offering endless opportunities.
How would you describe your role at Shell?
My role at Shell was in marketing Transport Lubricants; which is under the Commercial department. I was assigned several projects; one of which was to create a Rail CVP, or marketing plan in order to help Shell penetrate the Rail Lubricants market. This project provided me with huge insight into the world of business-to-business marketing, and even gave me a chance to contact Australia’s top Rail companies in order to conduct relevant marketing research to help in the formulation of strategies.
What were some of the challenges you faced in your Placement?
My experiences with Shell as a Vacationer student have been invaluable; not only was it really satisfying to be working on projects that made a real difference, the experience also offered me insight into my own capabilities as an employee by receiving feedback on my work, as well as constantly being encouraged to look for new and better ways of doing my job.
Was the experience what you hoped it would be?
Overall, the experiences I have gained with Shell have been very positive. I must be honest in saying that I did not think that they would let a student hold so much responsibility and influence, but they did and that was one of the aspects of my experience that I found most valuable.
Has your placement changed your view of Shell?
Before joining Shell I thought that it was just an oil company; but now that I have been exposed to the many facets making up the organization, I am amazed at the depth of opportunity that exists within it.
