Internship Review at Erich Schmid Institute

The Role

Role Description

I ran experiments for one of the postdocs at the institution (investigating fracture behaviour of metal films on polymer substrates). I also analysed some of the results.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

I enjoyed the lab work, but found the computer work quite tedious.

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

It was hard to get to know people, as I was much younger, and most spoke German (as this is in Austria).

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

My manager was away for three weeks of the placement, but was good when she was there.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I ran out of work at points, but normally had things to do.

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

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I had responsibility for my own experiments, but as it was part as someone else's research, I basically had to do what I was told.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

My SEM training has already been useful in my studies, and will be useful if I continue to do research.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

It was a bit lonely at times, but the monthly barbecues were great!

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The placement itself was well organised, but the accommodation had problems, as it was student run.

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

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

I had training from my manager on the procedures and equipment I needed to use for the lab work.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Flexi Time
• Company Parties/Events

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

They would be a good organisation to work with if they were in this country! Good opportunities for research.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

There was a good social scene with other international summer students who worked in various different places, but all lived in the same place.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Living was cheap (student run accommodation). Food was comparable to England.

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

★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 3/10

Small town so not much nightlife! A couple of bars, but we mainly socialised in the accommodation.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Lots of travelling/events with the other international students.

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?

There is a scheme called IAESTE which runs lots of placements to this institution and the nearby university. This scheme ran most of the social events in the accommodation.