Sam Louwers

I was introduced to the scholarship programme, offered by Motability Operations Ltd, at the start of my second year at University.

When applying I had concerns, due to my hearing loss, that telephone interviews might be difficult. However, I was pleased from the very start that Motability Operations ensured a fair chance and was offered face-to-face interviews instead. This transpired into a second-round interview at their London office, again with Motability Operations supporting my travel needs.

I was thrilled when I heard I was being offered a scholarship in such a fantastic organisation. Not only does the scholarship provide financial support, and this was invaluable as a mature student with a young family, it additionally offers tailored placement opportunities with a salary during university breaks.

As a law student, I was keen to utilise the skills learned to date during this placement. Management began arranging my placement well in advance of my start date and were able to ensure that I could get most out of my time with the company. This was achieved by making it possible to work alongside the in-house legal team, which provided me with unique experiences that most law students don’t have the opportunity to gain.

On my first day at Motability Operations, I realised that it was like no other company I had worked with in the past. As an organisation, staff are clearly the priority, and this was evident when I was given the opportunity to visit multiple departments within the Bristol office, a chance to see how the company operated and meet people to discuss their roles. My time was split across both Bristol and London, meaning that I had an opportunity to meet a wide variety of employees, including executive management.

Motability Operations offered me the chance to utilise the skills learnt in my degree in a professional setting. Even as an undergraduate student, my opinions were valued, and I was always welcomed at every meeting I attended. The levels of responsibility given to me meant that I could have an opportunity to make a difference in the working of the company. A large part of my role was to review the company’s terms and conditions, thus ensuring that clients were treated in the best possible manner and had all protections that they required. I was also able to work with the new contract management system to support the company when working with contractors.

The scholarship scheme gave me an opportunity to financially survive University with a young family, as well as an opportunity to work within a fantastic organisation. It was clear to see how passionate the company is about helping its clients and ensuring at all times they are providing the best service possible. With a wealth of experience across all departments, people are always willing to help and are keen to work with those on the scholarship programme meaning that I had a fantastic opportunity to develop my skills in a professional setting, whilst thoroughly enjoying my time within the company.

Sam has since left Motability Operations and now works as a War Pension and Compensation advisor for the Royal British Legion.