Cigolene Nguyen

Current Graduate

MSc Comprehensive Risk and Crisis Management

The Graduate Development Programme is dynamic and tailored to your own needs. It is varied, challenging and rewarding for people ready to stretch out of their comfort zone.

I have developed loads, both professionally and personally. I have become more mature in my approach to work and more responsible.  I have learnt how to do my job better, how to improve on my soft skills (communication, presentation etc.) and most importantly how to recognise where to improve and ask for help!

There is no weekly routine, but you'll always have meetings to attend, your day to day job (tasks and projects that add value to the business), training courses and team events. One thing is sure, you'll interact a lot with colleagues from your team and other Business Units and in Regulation and Investment Unit you'll have to think strategically!

I have helped organise business events and I am currently the communication representative for Regulation and Investment. I have also helped during charity events for Water Aid (dinner dance, golf day) by finding sponsors, contacting our partners and helping with coordination on the day. It is a great opportunity to practise team working, to improve your leadership skills and raise money for a valuable cause!

All of my placements are really valuable and I have learnt loads: from our environmental strategy to its practical application, from risk management to customer experience, from contract regulation to interaction with our regulators. Each placement is an opportunity to take responsibility and bring improvements to the business. The best thing is that you are in a position that gives you the opportunity to suggest, promote and implement changes!

During my placement in Economic Regulation I analysed customer satisfaction questionnaires in order to comply with the new OFWAT's (our regulator's) Overall Performance Assessment (OPA) measures. The OPA seeks to identify and compare customer satisfaction between the different water companies.

My role was to retrieve and analyse customer satisfaction questionnaires and I presented my findings to the customer service teams, highlighting areas to improve and making sure actions would be taken. I also looked at the way the questionnaires could be improved in order to have a better understanding of what satisfies customers.

The outcomes were crucial to the business. The analysis helped the Company to achieve high levels of compliance before the new Overall Performance Assessments were put in place.

I have learnt how to lead a project, meet deadlines, report to my managers and make sure actions would be taken. I also learned about the company customer service policy, unknown to me before joining the programme. The actions I took received positive feedback from colleagues, which is a fantastic recognition of the efforts I have put in!

Cigolene works in the Regulation and Investment Business Unit.