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It’s ‘ten out of ten’ from Joseph as pupils praise Surrey firm for work experience

21st July 2022

School pupils have given a ringing endorsement of their work experience at a Surrey firm as it marks a decade of offering learning opportunities for the community.

Industrial filter manufacturer Amazon Filters welcomes students to its Camberley production centre for first-hand exposure to both factory-based and office processes.

Most learners tend to come from nearby education providers such as Farnborough’s Fernhill Secondary School and Farnborough College of Technology.

In recent letters of thanks, two students who both spent a week at Amazon Filters praise the support they had from staff and the skills and knowledge they gained.

One, Sam, said: “It was fantastic to see what a successful manufacturing business looks like.

“I spent time in the sales and marketing departments where I entered new customer sales orders onto an ERP system and helped with customer queries.

“I assisted in the launch of a technical case study on the oil and gas industry which we posted onto LinkedIn.

“I also sent marketing emails to all relevant customers on a Hubspot CRM system.

“Overall it was an enjoyable experience and I would like to thank Amazon Filters for accommodating me.”

Another student, Joseph, said: “I came to the Amazon Filters’ IT department for my work experience, and I had a rough Idea of what to expect.

“However, as the week progressed, I picked up on amazing skills and knowledge that no one else could have given me.

“I did super-fun and interesting things that I have never done before. I learned a lot of C# coding and tinkered with PCs. I set up PCs and learnt a lot about the workplace.

“I loved every second of it and acquired useful skills with a keyboard and knowledge about technology that school doesn’t teach me. Overall, ten out of ten.”

Requests for work experience are normally handled by Nigel Williams​, Amazon Filters’ Senior Training & Development Officer, and Ruth Pappadakis, Human Resources Manager.

Nigel said: “We ask enquirers to fill out a form and tell us what preferences they have.

“We try to accommodate as many requests as we can while maintaining a busy 24/7 operation.

“Acceptance always has to depend on the extent to which we can provide the opportunity without interrupting production activity and customer service.    

“And shop floor work experience, such as in assembly or stores, is age-dependent so the student must be 18 or over.”

Ruth said: “Within the constraints we have, including the need for team members to take time to supervise, we try to do our bit to give a real flavour of the working environment.

“From time to time we have also undertaken mock job interviews to help students take their first steps into the world of work.

“And we are generally happy to accept invites to attend school and college open evenings and careers fairs to promote the opportunities we are able to provide.”

As well as offering work experience placements, Amazon Filters has employed a number of former students from Farnborough College of Technology in various roles at the start of their careers.

These include positions in engineering, fabrication and other factory and office-based activities.