Name: Sunita
University attended: University of Manchester
Degree studied: Studied Chemistry with Business Management then Masters in Computer Science

General Business Management scheme

Whilst I was unsure exactly what specialism to pursue, I knew from the very beginning that I wanted to start off in Business Management. The two year graduate scheme was ideal - as you have the chance to explore several diverse placements. So when you come to the end you know exactly where you want to go. You have to be flexible, but that's a good thing because you're forced to extend your comfort zone and experience different areas of the business. Being relocated every six months takes a little getting used to, but the people make you feel really comfortable and you're supported along every stage - so if you get sent somewhere new it doesn't feel quite as daunting.

My final placement is within Public Relations, but getting here wasn't easy. During my second placement in Marketing, I realised that I wanted to end up in a similar area. The competition for a PR place was tough, however, given my relevant experience, I had a distinct advantage. The PR role has been fantastic and like all placements you get to work with great people and develop a huge range of skills. As for the projects, I've been involved in sports sponsorships throughout the summer. I've been extremely lucky in this role and worked directly with various members of the England Cricket team as part of npower's sponsorship deal. This has involved organising national newspaper photo shoots and interviews with the likes of Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and James Anderson! So yes, it can be glamorous, but we also deal with negative perceptions that arise during periods of price increases. It's very challenging being the voice f npower, you need to be assertive, a great communicator and make sure you get fair and accurate messages out there.

What has always been obvious is the amount of effort put towards corporate responsibility - we're doing a tremendous amount within our communities. Urban Cricket is a primary example of npower's continued effort in grass-roots initiatives to improve the wellbeing of children across several deprived areas in the UK - plus getting more kids involved in playing cricket.

The graduate scheme at npower is a unique opportunity to grow and develop. Yes it's challenging and intense, but at the same time it's fun, rewarding and a great place to work.