BHP welcomed Charlotte Chaplin from Leeds University in September 2021, where she began her year in industry as a placement student in the Corporate Finance team. Almost a year on, Charlotte (pictured above, second from left) shares her experiences at BHP, and describes how the team have impacted her time and the skills she has gained.
Briefly, what did your internship involve?Â
- Financial analysis of company data
- Research projects for potential buyers and acquisition targets
- Business valuations including recent deal multiple research and listed company review
- Specific sector/industry research
- Preparation of relevant documents/reports for review by senior team members
- Supporting senior team members on transaction specific projects including attending both internal and client facing meetings
What have you enjoyed most about your internship at BHP?
The Corporate Finance team, as well as the wider BHP team, has been the highlight of my internship.
From my first day, everyone was so welcoming, and I instantly felt like a valued member of the team. All members of the Corporate Finance team across the Leeds and Sheffield offices have been supportive in helping my professional development.
BHP has a great social scene, and I’ve benefited greatly from the amazing work/life balance that the firm has instilled. The BHP social committee plans regular team nights out, office socials and the annual ‘BHP Fest’, which allows the whole firm to wind down and socialise in a space outside of the office.
The company has amazing values and general ethos which are clearly displayed throughout the firm.
What skills have you developed during your time at BHP?
Having a varied workload with different tasks day to day has developed my time management skills. Managing work from multiple offices for different members of the team has made me plan further ahead than I perhaps would have at university, to effectively manage my time throughout the week in order to efficiently collaborate with the team.
My communication skills have also greatly developed during my time at BHP. Whether that’s communicating with the team, either face-to-face or remotely, with our Translink colleagues globally or with clients, effective communication has been paramount.
How has the internship prepared you for your final year of university and then entering the industry in a permanent role?
Settling into a work environment and routine of working during office hours is something I’ll carry through into my final year at university and beyond – no more working in the library until the early hours of the morning!
As a mathematics undergraduate, a large proportion of my dissertation is group work. Having worked collaboratively with the Corporate Finance team throughout the past year, I am now confident that I’ll be able to communicate effectively with anyone I may be grouped with in the future to deliver a well thought-out project – whether that be at university or in the industry.
Would you recommend BHP and, if so, why?
I would definitely recommend BHP to anyone! The people make the firm what it is – an amazing place to work.
I have loved my time working at BHP and I’m extremely pleased and excited to say that I’ll be returning as a graduate after completing my degree!
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