Summer Intern Review

During my placement, I was sent to work in Norway. They provided accommodation for me and the other interns there. I really enjoyed this aspect of the internship as I was able really get to know the others. The work we were given was mildly challenging and had the potential to be useful for the segment, however it was more sedentary than I would have liked. We were occasionally exposed to the workshop but more time there would have been beneficial as we actually got to see and dull grade the tools.

We were treated the same as the other employees in terms of respect which I really appreciated. When we had finished our final projects, our manager made a point of saying how helpful what we had done could be for the segment.

The vast majority of people in our segment were very welcoming and friendly. Our mentor was very approachable and was superb at explaining anything we were unsure of. One of the Field Engineers was also very helpful and would guide or help us in anyway he could.

At the beginning of the internship, we were busy with various training both online and face to face. Then we were set our projects and we had plenty to do. Towards the end of the internship, we started running out of things to do and our mentor was away at that time so we found it very difficult to find more work. Generally a good balance except towards the end.

We were given the task of creating spreadsheets that analysed how various tools performed. I was also tasked with performing some dull gradings and compiling a list of requirements and procedures for the workshop to use when interacting with their five most common customers. This felt like a decent amount of responsibility without being daunting for an intern.

I learnt more about how the business was run both formally and asking questions at lunch breaks, etc... I definitely improved my excel skills by doing the analysis.

I had my own office so at times it could get a little boring. The other interns office was just next door so it was too bad and I had Lync, the messenger service of the company, if I needed to ask any questions.

In terms of arranging my flights and accommodation, it was very good. It took us a while to get access to all the things we needed for start work on our projects however this seemed to be the case for everybody, not just the interns. Everything went very smoothly.

They flew my to a different country, provided accommodation for six weeks, and provided me with all the relevant training I needed for the internship. They provided me with my own laptop, personal protection equipment (boiler suit, gloves, boots, glasses) and on top of this, they still payed me. I think they invest quite a lot in their interns.

Overall, I think it's an excellent company. There were parts of the internship that weren't very stimulating however after speaking to the other employees at the company, there are many exciting opportunities.

The other interns were all incredibly friendly and fun but it was all self motivated socialising as the company didn't attempt to arrange anything.

It was very expensive in Norway but they other interns were more local so they knew where to go to avoid the really bad prices.

If you wanted it, it was there. It felt safe if you kept to the town centre and as there was a large university based there, there was plenty in terms of choice and events.

Thanks to the other interns who were absolutely lovely, I was able to do many activities outside of work, including university parties, rock climbing, visiting museums, going out for food, etc... There were also lots of events going on in the city centre.