Placement Review at Rolls-Royce

The Role

Role Description

Developing future tools and methods for the design of Equipment Health Monitoring systems. In particular, the application of Failure Mode Analysis. Day-to-day research was writing failure mode analysis, gathering data to populate it, and generating reports.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The placement was really enjoyable- the work was interesting and I had the opportunity to develop the company's expertise in one area and help influence the way that this sort of work will be carried out in the future.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I felt well inducted into the team, even though my work was quite different to some of my colleagues. There was a good level of socialising, and the team were always willing to help out and share knowledge / skills. However, quite a lot of the work was individual projects and therefore there was quite a bit of private working, but that is the nature of this particular department and not a criticism.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

My line manager was definitely the best I've ever had, the level of support and guidance was spot on. I was also able to interact frequently with those higher up the management chain.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

The job fluctuated between waiting for data and chasing people up, which was at times frustrating and left me with little else to do, to frantically writing up reports with deadlines looming. But at least there was variety and by the end of the placement I had other small jobs to do which prevented me from feeling bored.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I was left free to manage my own project and dictate the work that needed to be. The work I was doing was quite important to the future development of this sort of technology and it was good to have the responsibility to get on and do it with the trust that I would deliver.

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

My development thanks to my experience with the company has been significant, and my manager never hesitated to say yes when I was keen to undertake additional training. I felt like the company was happy to invest in my skills, many of which will be very relevant to the rest of my degree studies and beyond.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

It's quite hard to make a room full of people working on computers seem particularly exciting, but the teams made efforts to make it seem more fun, especially on birthdays and other occasions. Social chat was encouraged and it was nice to bond with the team like this, especially since we all had similar interests.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Very slick assessment centre and selection process, lots of feedback at every stage, virtually faultless.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The company seemed very keen to invest in my skills and development, and I was able to access a number of training courses which will have real value in my future degree studies and employment.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

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

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Definitely top of my list of companies I want to work for after graduation. I have already been accepted on an assessment centre for the top graduate scheme and will do my utmost to be offered the place!

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Lots of events organised by our fellow placement students, and regular ones with the team. If I lived closer to work, I could have been able to do something at least a couple of times every week.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

I was able to stay in my University house during the placement, which kept the costs down. The city itself was fairly average in terms of cost.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I didn't experience the nightlife, but the reviews are fairly good and there is a lot of selection.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The activities outside of work are more aimed at the graduates than the interns, though I suspect that we could get involved if we wanted to. The way of communicating these activities though is a bit ad-hoc.

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?

Fantastic placement, there's no-where else I would rather work when I graduate. Pay is good and the opportunities are endless.

Review 88/94 for Rolls-Royce

Previous Next