There are a number of ways that students can spend their time over the course of the summer. Lounging by the pool, enjoying a midday picnic in the park, or playing Frisbee in the garden. I could have done all these things. But what I chose to do instead was far more memorable.
An internship with Enterprise has been one of the most eye-opening and meaningful experiences I have ever had. There is something remarkable about moving halfway across the world, from the US to the UK, for a summer internship. It seems to make every struggle harder and every triumph monumental.
I started working within the Flex-E-Rent department in mid-June. This department is a relatively new area of the business, responsible for renting trucks and vans for leases ranging from three months to two years. From the get go I was thrown into the deep end with projects coming from both the account and credit controllers. Despite being new, I was asked to assist with some of the bigger projects which developed skills I wasn’t even aware I possessed.
Whenever I was unsure about something, there was always someone happy to fill in the gaps. my colleagues would not only help me to come to the right conclusion on my own, but explain how what I was doing was contributing to the ‘big picture’ of Enterprise’s success.
It’s one thing to learn theories and practices in a classroom, but seeing them in action is entirely different.
I was allowed to go off on my own and interview employees working in areas that interested me. I was able to meet Mike Edwards, head of the new Global Franchising division, Steve Young, the financial controller as well as other members of the Flex-E-Rent team. By asking about their own ‘Enterprise Story’ I gained a better appreciation of how these employees are continuing to help the company expand as well as how just about any type of person can make a career at Enterprise.
It wasn’t until I was truly comfortable in my role with Flex-E-Rent that I was transferred over to a different department. I’m now a member of the Billing and Payments department. We’re in charge of managing customer invoices and making sure they are sent out on time, as accurately as possible and paid in full. I have had the chance to shadow some Enterprise employees, following what they do day in, day out.Instead of just listening and watching, I was encouraged to ask questions and they were happy to explain why they were doing certain tasks and how it affected the business. Because of this, I have a much better sense of how a business of this scale can run as smoothly and efficiently as Enterprise does.
One thing I envied about my sister this summer was her ability to sleep in every day. But when my alarm rang in the morning and I jumped on that train, I was excited and ready to tackle any challenges the day threw at me.
And honestly, I wouldn’t change anything about this past summer. I learned so much about myself and the company over an eight week period. I think the biggest thing I will take away is one of the core values of Enterprise: Always make an effort to put customer service above and beyond expectations.
The sky is the limit for Enterprise, and you really get a sense of that working here. Find a role in your city here.
