Age: 20
Position: Supply Chain Placement Student
Location: Scunthorpe
University: University of Lincoln
Course: Business and Marketing

What is your role within British Steel and what does it involve?

“I’m currently forming part of the Supply Chain Outbound Logistics department. Within the team I regularly assist in the invoice tracking for deliveries. I’m also working on improving the current system we use for tracking, to make the process more automated and therefore reducing time spent on the task. This is important as it’s keeping with the companies continuous improvement strategy that it is integrating into its culture. 

“My main project I’ve been given responsibility for is the renewal of all rail crossing signage out on site. This is a complex task due to the size of the Scunthorpe site. There are nearly 100 signs that need to be renewed and with each one come a lot of assessments, precautions and procedures that need to be put in place prior to work. The key I’m finding to this task is ensuring continuous communication with suppliers, engineers, plant managers as well as the other colleagues needed to execute this task.” 

Why did you choose to work for British Steel?

“Being fairly local to the area, I already had prior knowledge of British Steel before joining and therefore had some indication to the impressive scale of the operation. Upon further research I found more information that only impressed me further, including the employment rate of around 4,000 people, a site more than 2,000 acres in size with over 100 miles of internal rail and 40 miles of road. 

“I also was keen on the idea of working in large-scale manufacturing and with 150 years of heritage and an operation that produces 3 million tonnes of quality steel products every year, I couldn’t say no to the opportunity.” 

How would you describe British Steel’s culture and how you fit into it?

“The culture at British Steel is very traditional but takes on new aspects of modern thinking. Many employees that work here have decades of experience under their belts, which fuels passion and pride within the workplace. You can learn something new from everyone you meet here, and there’s plenty of people to meet. 

“I feel I fit into this culture purely by willing to learn from everyone here and also by bringing my own ideas to the business.” 

How do you think your experience at British Steel will help with your future career goals?

“I feel the name British Steel carries a lot of respect with people across the country appreciating the scale of work that it does – it’s definitely an impressive and stand-out name to have on your CV. 

“More importantly there are lots of opportunities here to grow your skill set in many different environments and even secure permanent positions with British Steel as it’s always looking to grow its workforce.” 

What do you think is the best thing about working for British Steel?

“The thing I like most about working here is the diversity of the work. Working in a large-scale organisation can throw up interesting challenges in a range of fields. Even on my own project, which in theory should be repetitive, there are always new issues that need to be resolved. One of the best things about this is it takes you out of your comfort zone. There are always people willing to help but knowing you got through an issue using your own initiative, meeting people and gaining insight you wouldn’t have done otherwise, is very rewarding.” 

What do you find most challenging about working for British Steel?

“The most challenging bit is finding the right contacts. On a site as big as this, there are many people with different roles and responsibilities so finding the right person who can help you can sometimes be time-consuming.

“Also, when first starting in the job, driving on site can be rather daunting, especially when you’re only given a location of an office building that sometimes is only as big as a house. But once you’ve been on site a few times, it does get a lot easier.” 

Can you describe British Steel in 3 words?

“I would say huge, proud and iconic. I’ve already mentioned the size of the site and the pride of those working within it, but I think it’s the heritage that is a defining feature of the company. Since the recent rebranding, the heritage has been used as a building block to develop a strong brand and culture for the modern workplace.”

Do you have any advice for people currently applying to British Steel?

“There is a definite British Steel culture and going from my experiences, recruiters choose people that will fit into this and integrate into one of the teams. 

“Speaking from my experience as a placement student, I don’t think your past experience or education is any more important than your attitude to work. You’re here to gain the experiences of British Steel so it’s more important that your personal values align with that of the company.”