RateMyPlacement
Ensuring cash is getting into the business on a monthly basis, a wide admin role for many of the reporting processes, assisting co-workers in tasks/projects, improving internal processes, working with other teams within working groups and designing new and improved models for documents that will be used by the wider business.
Work on a large software project, that is to become part of a bigger system.
Working as a Systems Engineer means your role will greatly depend on your team. You might be designing or testing, or evaluating your project depending on where in the life cycle your project is. For me, there was a lot of verification work at the end of the project, which meant a lot of testing and checking that the design criteria had been met
My role is to carry out tests at both a module and system level. This often involves fault finding too. I have also helped with the analysis and documentation involved in designing electronic hardware.
my daily tasks include using data from the manufacturing execution system to create live dashboards to monitor production times for assemblies and trialling these dashboards on various areas across the site, researching factory of the future ideas and assisting in the trialling and implementing of new technology into the existing production environment and redeveloping areas of the factory that are currently being underutilised I have daily meetings with supervisor to discuss progress and help resolve any issues or problems I am currently having on the projects I am working on
Developing solutions to help further company product in the defense industry. Engaging with other engineers in meetings and onsite to come up with designs for equipment and tests to use to solve problems. Using CAD software and analytical skills to make appropriate equipment designs and predictions. Actively participate with onsite tests I have designed and make observations as well as appropriate changes to see results. Documenting results and recommendations, relaying it to the team meanwhile.
BAE Systems is an exciting company to have an industrial placement in - I had a good view of the way that the entire business ran, and had a well rounded day to day job. It was slow to start - beginning in the summer means that you start as many people are off on leave which can get in the way of on-boarding. That being said, once I was fully fledged in my role, it was definitely a good experience and an accurate taste of life working in the defence industry.
My placement was fantastic. Everyone I met was friendly and welcoming, and always willing to share their knowledge and help. My line manager was able to find me something that fitted in perfectly with the direction I wanted to take my course in my final year, and my future career.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at BAE Systems. It gave me the ability to experience a broad spectrum of the engineering opportunities available. Alongside a competitive pay for industrial students, it has enabled me to improve my professional and technical competencies. The attributes learnt during my placement will definitely help with my understanding of problems when I return to university.
Overall, I have really enjoyed my time at the company. My team were friendly, I had a fair amount of work to complete and there was plenty of support available if you ever had any issues (graduate buddy, line manager, graduate/placement manager). I do though think it can really depend on the role your placed in, as every placement is very different.
My placement year at BAE was very enjoyable and I would recommend to anyone looking for a placement which will both further your education and allow you to enjoy yourself during your placement year to apply for BAE. My role involved work and tasks that were challenging but very interesting. Overall, I had a very good experience and would recommend BAE Systems to anybody looking for a work placement.
I thoroughly enjoyed my placement it was unreal having the opportunity to work with so many amazing people and be able to go on ships as a part of my job. I did not know what to expect as I had never worked for such a large and fast paced organisation.
My placement at BAE Systems was really enjoyable. I was able to work on a range of different projects so expanded my knowledge in lots of different areas of engineering. The teams I worked with were all great too which always makes a big difference. My managers were always checking that I had enough work and that I was generally coping ok with everything.
I have really enjoyed my year here. I have learnt so much, from the basics of accounting (from a basis of nothing) to what it is like and how to deal with having real responsibility in a proper job, all in the context of the engineering industry. It has met my aspirations for the year.
I really enjoyed working here to the point I'm hoping to get a job back with the company when I graduate university. I entered into a role I've never heard of - project accounting which as I near the end of my placement has felt more of a hybrid of data analytics/project control/accounting. It's been a great experience, I've met some wonderful people and nothing can compare to working on a base with jets flying daily.
The placement started off well with team bonding and an induction week with the other interns. In the first few weeks I was given work and objectives but I completed these quickly. I did ask for more work and was given some but it wasn't enough. I was quite bored during my placement and didn't really feel like part of the team. I didn't really use my degree at all. I know other interns had different experiences but for the last half felt quite pointless. The best part of the placement was the social side with the other interns.
Overall, the 12 week internship was good, and I had the responsibility of delivering a multi-disciplinary project through its detailed design stage. This gave me valuable experience in defence product standards and general engineering standards, which shall be useful for my future career progression. The only set back was learning about the changes to the new graduate programme if I were to return to the business.
I found there was some variety in tasks assigned and the work undertaken was generally useful, but would have preferred more actual design work, use of software, and use of degree and practical knowledge. Instead there was a lot of editing documentation, spreadsheets etc. However, overall a useful experience.
I enjoyed the work when it related to my degree however there were often instances where I would be doing administrative work. The more I would ask for tasks the more enjoyable the tasks got. It was a good experience however due to the short duration of my stay I wasn't able to really get stuck into the work.
