Placement Review at Metaswitch Networks

The Role

Role Description

Designing, coding & testing software for whatever product you end up working on. In my case this was working on IPv6. My daily duties would vary, mainly depending on what I had agreed with my manager at my weekly status report.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

It was highly enjoyable and I learnt a lot, all while earning a good wage.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Everyone was very welcoming and willing to help.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

The management & support system is top notch, you always get the help you need when you need it.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I always had interesting work to do, but the good management insured I was never overwhelmed and that I was capable of doing all the work I was given.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

After just a short time I was responsible for testing and checking the work of my team, and ensuring that people were working on what I needed fixing.

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

Great improvement not only in my programming skills, but also in general management skills.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

People were always organizing things and going out for drinks, and the company also arranged good moral trips for staff, leaving the atmosphere overall being very good. People enjoy working at Metaswitch, which means the atmosphere is always good.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

I knew generally what I would be doing during my internship on the first day I arrived, and the management systems in place ensured that this was regularly checked.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Metaswitch encouraged development as much as was possible, even down to choosing tasks for me that my manager felt would improve my skills, even though my current skill set would have been better suited to other available tasks.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

• Flexi Time
• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

They have suggested that I apply again for internships during university breaks, and that I should definitely apply after university to work there.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

There were not many other interns around when I was working there, but those that were did meet up often.

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

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Company subsidized accommodation meant the cost of living was very cheap, and regular free drinks for new employees/interns meant that socialising was usually cheap too.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Not much in Enfield, but its close enough to London to just pop on the train and go there instead.

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

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

There are loads of clubs run by employees and plenty of opportunity to join in.

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?

Metaswitch is a great place to work at, and you don't lose anything if you apply. You don't have to be studying a science subject to work there either, they care about what you are capable of, not what you can currently do.

Review 37/45 for Metaswitch Networks

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