Materials Engineer Intern Review

i have thoroughly enjoyed my work placement. It has given me a good insight into not only what Morgan do as a business but also the difficulties faced when working in industry. I have faced problems both directly involved with current products and also design work on future products.

I feel i am treated equally by my colleagues, I have been given the responsibility of carrying out my own projects and organising how they are run. My colleagues feel comfortable coming to me for help if they need it.

Before i had started the placement i was given a 'buddy' or mentor who acts as my main source of guidance. because we had been introduced before i had my first day, i felt comfortable as i had a colleague who was there to help straight away. My supervisor and i have monthly meetings to check progress and discuss any issues or ideas that i have, this is a great way to gain extra support. I have been strongly encouraged to seek extra guidance if i feel i need it so that i can not only help myself but also the company.

The first project i started working on acted as a means to ease me into the way the company works, this project kept me busy and also made me familiar with standard procedures of the company. After this the workload really increased and i have been very busy with a number of projects ever since.

I have been given a fair amount of responsibility during my placement. I do not feel as if i am treated differently and that i am regarded as an equal with my colleagues. i have been involved in a number of projects which i have directed myself and been in charge of, all with varying levels of importance to the business.

I feel i am much more prepared for my final year of study because i have experienced how to manage my time and handle project work in an efficient manner. I have had to prepare, plan, test and then deliver results to certain deadlines. Working has also taught me to get organised and explore different methods of achieving the desired result.

The general atmosphere in the office is a very relaxed one. There is always background noise but not enough to put you off work. My manager's office is situated so that the team can see whether she is present or not which i think is a good idea. The door is always open and everyone is encouraged to ask for help when they need it. Everyone is friendly and took the time to get to know me individually. The whole team usually eat lunch together which is a good time to socialise. The desk layout makes it very easy to discuss ideas or ask questions and usually everyone joins in.

The work placement has been organised well and had a good structure throughout. The starting project introduces the company very well and covers a wide range of fundamental skills which help when moving on to other projects. Compared to the GLP the placement students are paid a smaller amount of attention and any networking between other placement students is left to the individuals.

The company encouraged me to follow my aim personal aims to train and develop. Aside from training courses that were introduced because of business demands, there were no other forms of training specifically set-up. This being said, managers and supervisors were very keen when i asked about new opportunities to expand my knowledge. I have visited other sites and met other members of the Morgan team which has been of great value to me. I mentioned to a senior member that i was interested in linking my final year project at Uni to a work based problem and this went down very well.

As far as i am aware, previous placement students have been offered jobs onto the the graduate scheme and they do encourage placement students to chase the opportunities available to them. The graduate scheme is given a great deal of responsibility and is widely regarded. Placement students are given a certain amount of priority when it comes to the graduate selection.

Between placement students there was little socialising as the mostly you would socialise within the team that you work in. This is definitely down to the individual though as each member has access to email and can arrange an event if they wanted to.

The cost of living was low but the area i chose to live in was poorly connected. A 15 minute drive to the nearest train station and limited things to do in the local town was frustrating but it didn't stop the office organising events and socialising.

In the area i worked in the nightlife was very limited. The next town along had more to offer but for the a big night out Birmingham and Worcester were worth the travel.

This was dependent on the colleagues that i worked with. luckily they were very active and did a range of different sports and hobbies which i was invited to join. Because people were coming from a variety of places, this opened up more opportunites.