Manufacturing Engineering Intern Review

My placement was well-organized and interesting. Derby is maybe not the most exciting city to live in, but the presence of lots of other interns is something you don't get at many other companies. I really liked the work I was involved in, although don't expect a lot of perks like free food à la Google & Co.

I was given a lot of autonomy in my project, such as conducting experiments by myself in a different city. My work felt useful to the company and I felt my contribution was valued by seniors. In this area, Rolls-Royce could not have excelled more and it is one of their true strong points.

Rolls-Royce is very experienced with internships. Around 100 interns all stayed at university accomodation, so that was fantastic for social life (although accomodation was not the most value for money). The program was well structures, IT systems functioned almost flawlessly etc. Supervisors took a lot of time to introduce me to my project, as well as mentor me throughout.

There were certainly periods where I was less busy, but that is perfectly normal. Sometimes it really depends on the supervisor you get, but overall the company does a good job of assigning interns interesting work. There was a lot of independence in managing your own time, so exploring the various sites was also possible.

My main project was clearly scoped at the beginning, I had full responsibility in completing it myself, although guidance was given frequently. It was well structured and I understood my tasks clearly. I quite enjoyed working on a real project, as well as getting to know the details of their engineering process.

Rolls-Royce give you highly valuable and constructive feedback at the end of your placement, regarding development of technical knowledge and soft skills. I found it very useful for my personal development. The knowledge I gained about their products was very insightful as well, as they come up in lectures frequently.

I got to work in two quite different offices. One of which was frequently empty, as the employees are often on company visits and trips. It had a very professional atmosphere and was quite comfortable. The second one was more directly involved in factory work. It was quite relaxed, sometimes it was busy, sometimes less so.

The organization could not have been better. There were induction events, payroll and IT systems were set up on the day of arrival and everything went quite smoothly. Rolls-Royce are very experienced with running internships and it really shows. There were special coordinators available to contact at all times.

The fact that the company gives you such a deep insight into their business and takes on so many interns every year is a large sign of investment. Their graduate scheme is spoken of highly as well. It is definitely well-worth and educational. The company also gains quite a bit from the interns by letting them work on real projects.

Rolls-Royce makes it very easy for interns to return for another internship or join their graduate scheme. In fact, most interns will get offered a place on the graduate scheme automatically without further assessment - as well as a second signing bonus for being an ex-intern. This is definitely a great scheme.

As most interns lived together, there was an active social scene. Be it going to gyms, playing sports, hanging out at night or simply getting a lift to the supermarket. Living with lots of colleagues is definitely fantastic for summer interns and highly recommended.

Derby's house prices are pretty low, especially given the amount of well-paid engineers in the area. However, university accomodation was relatively expensive (£400 per month) for a very small room in moderate quality. For future employment however, it is a cheap place to live.

Derby's nightlife is okay, drinks are relatively cheap. But Nottingham is right next door and generally considered much better. With so many other interns, you will not get bored at night, however. It is quite a cheap place to live and drink. Half-price Tuesdays are always welcome.

As most interns lived together, there was an active scene outside work. Be it going to gyms or playing sports, you are likely to find a group of people having the same interests. Living with lots of colleagues is definitely fantastic for summer interns and highly recommended.