Internship Review at BP

The Role

Role Description

Working in a central BP engineering team, supporting an existing project regarding some electrical equipment. Looking at reliability of said equipment, carrying out reliability analysis etc

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Great work environment - everyone really takes into account that you're an intern in the sense that they take time to teach you things, help you with your work etc. You're also given real work to do, as opposed some mini project they made up just for you.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I felt valued because I was doing work that they would have had to do themselves if I wasn't there. You do sometimes end up feeling that they could have done a better job than you though, although thats not a fault of the internship system.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I had a line manager for work, and a mentor for more general support. Both were excellent, having done this with other interns before. My line manager had everything sorted out in respect to my project, introductory guidance, feedback during my time here etc. But I've heard this can be a bit hit and miss, as some managers aren't aware of what they should be doing or are simply too busy to do it.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Busy most days, although once in a while (maybe 5 or 6 days out of the 3 months) I had slow days. They do expect you to go and find some work for you to do by yourself though, and you're given opportunities to do this.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Responsibility in terms of that work that I was given to do - the whole thing, prioritising tasks, specific deadlines was all left to me.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Built directly on top of what I was doing at University, and extended my knowledge that should be helpful for practical final year project work.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I have worked at more informal places, but the atmosphere works just right.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

The formal internship structure thats in place is very good. How well that structure is adhered to seems to depend on your line manager, something that worked out very well in my case.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Can't really think of anything they could have done more. I went on site visits to an onshore oil field, and visited a contractor's office to see how work was done on big upcoming projects.

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
• Working from home

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

BP is actually actively recruiting and expanding right now, so it's a great time to apply for a grad place.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I was based in London, but work was in a remote area of Greater London. People lived in odd places so sometimes it wasn't as easy to meet up with everyone as I would've liked.

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

London was very expensive, but BP do pay you very well. Living and working in London is not a chance you should pass over unless money really an issue. You do make enough to support yourself throughout the internship and save some for later.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

There's something for everyone in London!

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

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

Some, but most were sports like football and rounders, which wouldn't appeal to all. Also, they came more through personal contacts, which worked out fine for me but may not if you end up in a remote area.

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?

The internship experience at different BP sites can be very different, so it's probably a good idea to look at what people from Aberdeen, Canary Wharf etc say.

Review 101/114 for BP

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