Internship Review at MBDA

The Role

Role Description

On a day to day basis I would come in and check e-mails etc. I would then plan out my day to get specific parts of my project completed. I would work from about 8:00am till about 5:30pm monday-thursday and from 8-12:30 on friday. As long as you completed 37 hours a week then it was fine.

My job involved working on a project that was mainly computer programming based. I can't really delve into specifics since it is quite a secretive organisation and I'm unsure to how much I can divulge. Essentially I programmed in MatLab, starting from scratch on a program that would be used by everyone in the department. They offered me work that would really affect the company and would make a big difference.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I thoroughly enjoyed my time and the company is very employee focused. The loss of one star was because I am not the biggest fan of programming, however the project I was given was actually fun to complete.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The team around me were very chatty and would always help whenever you asked. They never put you under pressure but instead created a very relaxing environment for me. My line manager was also very helpful and looked after me a lot. They were keen for me to get involved and took me along to their meetings.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Whenever I asked I was given help. At the start of the project we went through what I should be aiming for in great detail, and then throughout the project we would have chats of 20-30 minutes long to sort out any other problems that may have presented themselves.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Definitely the perfect balance. I had my work laid out but I was very relaxed and there was no pressure. It was definitely stress free work. This helped me to get the work done efficiently and to a very high standard. It meant that there was no cuttings of corners. Infact without the pressure I was able to get the work done quite rapidly and was able to move onto a second project within the team.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Within my project I could make the calls on what I felt was appropriate. The loss of one star was because obviously I had guidelines to adhere to (which I actually felt helped me). But as long as I achieved the end goal (with an eficient program) then it was fine how I got there.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

It has helped me to not only learn another programming language, which is used widely in a number of organisations, but I have learnt how to work around and achieve a goal even when the criteria are a little foggy. I have learnt to take initiative and to implement good ideas without having to constantly ask my manager. Being thrown in at the deep end was also much better because it meant that the learning curve was a lot steeper and I felt a lot more involved in the project.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Obviously there were quiet times during the work hours, where everyone was 'in the zone' but aside from that everyone was very talkative and it was a pleasant working atmosphere. There was never people shouting at you or getting angry, there was the odd stressed manager at times but they never took it out on anyone (except maybe the guys at the other site in Bristol!). The workers didn't mind having conversations that weren't work related to help relax and take short breaks.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

It was very well organised, we knew where to meet to begin the placement, we were all picked up on time by our specific managers etc. We had a computer and desk set up within our office area ready for us. My manager had my work and project all set out before I even began the placement. So generally it was very well organised

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There was no specific training course, however they invested quite an important project with me. They could have brought in a sbu contractor to complete this project but instead they trusted in me as an intern to complete it. They felt being involved with real work I would advance much quicker and I would develop skills at a faster rate.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

• Flexi Time
• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop
• Above 25 days holiday
• Healthcare/Dental

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I am not sure yet if they are going to offer my a job, I'm just heading towards the end of my internship and therefore I am still unsure. However a lot of previous interns have been offered jobs and the work I have provided has fully satisfied them.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

There were always e-mails going back and forth between the interns organising various trips etc. So on friady afternoons we would head to the pub. In the evenings there would be various people playing tennis or heading to the gym. At the weekends a few people would always head out on a night out to Stevenages biggest night clubs (not that big....). Generally there was a good atmosphere and social scene between the interns

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I spent about £100 a week on accomodation, however the house was really quite worth it. There was sky+ HD tv with surround sound, a cleaner, a nice double bed, spacious living room etc and all within about 20 minute walk from the MBDA site. Socialising was about average for most towns - restaurants and pubs were generally fair prices. Tescos and ASDA for shopping.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Stevenage has some great pubs in the Old Town which are really fun on a night out, but for clubs it is a bit limited to the Liquid Envy and a couple of others. They are sufficient for the placement but they aren't exactly the same as the clubs in London! although you are only about 25 minutes from london on the train...

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I would play football regularly with some of the other workers, there was always people looking to play other sports. The social club would offer things like trips to the theatre etc. So there was always something to get involved with. I was attending the subsidised gym most nights and therefore only really got involved with the sports. But there are a variety of classes like karate and boxing on the site.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

Some of the nicest people you will work with. Very focused on employee satisfaction. A very nice site, so if you don't like the look of stevenage it doesn't matter because the place you work is very nice. If you have a car they always have sufficient parking spaces. The flexi time is gods gift... being able to start work anywhere between 7:30 and 9:30 and finishing anywhee between 4 and 6 is really useful.

Review 37/67 for MBDA

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