Summer Placement Review

by Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl)

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.7/5
  • The Role
    4.2
  • The Company
    3.4
  • The Culture
    3.5

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • DSTL provided a highly enjoyable placement. The team I was placed in was friendly and helpful, consistently on hand to provide support as and when necessary. The work was interesting and (even more importantly) useful, it was a long way off merely photocopying and making tea. Furthermore, there were extensive opportunities to get involved in other areas of the organisation, giving me a great ability to tailor my placement as I desired. In conclusion I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and would strongly recommend a DSTL placement to anyone interested.

    4/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • My colleagues were highly supportive and encouraging at all times. Whenever I needed help or assistance there was someone available. Furthermore, they consistently congratulated and thanked me for my work - but importantly, also provided constructive criticism, allowing me to feel like I was improving and avoiding sounding patronising. The social aspect of the team was also outstanding, with a series of social events which I was invited to and included as if I'd been there for months or years rather than weeks. Despite this however, I feel that in a large organisation such as DSTL, this may be rather dependent on which team you end up in, so whilst I was incredibly lucky I'd urge future applicants to take my words with a pinch of salt.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • Dstl is a strong encourager of allowing it's staff freedom to work with minimal outside influence, allowing you to guide your work and develop it as you see fit. Whilst this I believe this is generally a good principle, for a new starter settling in it did initially prove difficult and I could have perhaps done being offered slightly more guidance. However, whilst not freely offered, I merely had to ask and my team leader was more than happy to provide it, looking at and helping me with my work. Once the boundary of getting used to asking and also getting used to working more individually was crossed I felt highly confident in my work and achieved a great deal.

    3/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • There was an excellent balance of work available for me to do at DSTL. I was originally given two projects, along with an indication of how long each project would take allowing me to well balance my time. When I finished this work earlier than expected, it was a simple matter to inform my TL and other team members, who were more than happy to offer additional work to ensure I had plenty to do. In addition to this, when at one point I found I had quite a bit going on, it was a simple matter to adjust my workload slightly to ensure I had less to do and I wasn't drowning in work. As a result, whilst the balance was not perfect at all times, it was very easy to change it to ensure I was neither too bored or too busy.

    4/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a significant degree of responsibility right from the start of my placement. I was given sole control over my specific work within the two projects I was working in, whilst maintaining a level of support from project leaders if I needed to ask any questions. Furthermore, I was able to organise meetings, make software requests and manage my own time in order to meet the requirements of my work. The work itself was also highly relevant, and I was made fully aware of how it would be used within and outside the company going forward, giving me a real appreciation of the importance of it. At no point did I feel I was being given pointless "noddy work" just to keep me busy until the end of my placement

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I was able to develop a range of skills during my time at DSTL. My communication skills were greatly enhanced, as one of my projects involved asking questions and gathering information from people across the organisation. This helped me learn how to chase up and talk to people I'd never met before, improving my confidence in a skill which will doubtless be invaluable in future careers. I also got experience in working without outside pressure or guidance. This improved my ability to motivate and organise myself, something which will assist me greatly when doing individual projects and dissertations at university. A third skill is the ability to analyse and adapt to large amounts of information - working in an analytical role, I was required to digest large amounts of information, both quantitative and qualitative and use the information to make conclusions and decisions. Again, this will be invaluable experience in any job, and I look forward to applying it in the future. There were of course other skills I learnt, too numerous to explain in detail such as team work, knowledge of the defence industry, IT ability and presentation skills, amongst others.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The office environment was incredibly entertaining. Colleagues were consistently involved in interesting conversations, both about work and not, and there were very few times where I found myself bored at work. Furthermore there were multiple 'competitions' organised to entertain staff, meaning there was often something to do and somewhere to do it. I don't think there was any point in my time at dstl where I couldn't casually turn to one side and start a conversation with someone.

    5/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The biggest problems with the internship were those that occurred prior to arriving. It took a long time for me to be told I'd gained the security clearance required for the job, to the extent I wasn't 100% sure whether or not I'd be allowed to come until just a few weeks before starting. Similarly, once I arrived it appeared the staff at reception weren't expecting me, and a series of calls had to be made before I made it into the building. However, once I had arrived and met my team, I had plenty of work awaiting me I had a desk awaiting for me and numerous welcome/training meetings already booked in. On balance, whilst dstl is in much need of inmproving it's organisation prior to arrival, once you get in things improve markedly.

    3/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • There were numerous opportunities available for personal training/development, however the majority of these I was required to take in my own spare time. Regardless, it was clear the work had gone into actually organising the events, so whilst it would have been greatly appreciated if I were to be paid for this I was still grateful to the company for providing the opportunity in the first place. Furthermore there were several training events which I was fully paid for, giving me an appreciation both of the wider work dstl does and the wider defence industry.

    3/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Flexi Time

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Company Parties/Events

    Working from home

    3/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • Placement students are strongly encouraged to apply for future placements and/or grad schemes, with a strong likelihood of being successful as a result. There is also a sponsorship scheme, where strong candidates are sponsored throughout their remaining time at university, and offered a guaranteed interview for the graduate scheme. Colleagues and senior staff members were also very happy to discuss the grad scheme, and provide tips and advice on how best to apply and who to speak to in order to find out more information.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • Living with 7 fellow placement students, the social life was incredibly. From start to finish there was always someone to do something with outside of work, whether that was a night out, watching a film, going for a walk or just chilling in front of the TV. I have to say I think this was comfortably one of my favourite parts of working at DSTL. Not only have I gained valuable skills, but I've had a great time, and made some really good friends for the future. I don't think it would be an understatement to say that one of the big motivators to apply for the grad scheme is the chance to see them again and spend a bit longer having fun!

    5/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • The cost of living was acceptable for the area; we were able to find accommodation for approximately £85 a week, bills included. However, the choice of living accommodation was poor, and it's difficult to say whether or not similar prices can be found in other years. Also, socialising costs were higher than I'm used to (albeit coming from the cheaper North), meaning I spent significantly more money socialising than I had planned for. On the other hand, this was mitigated somewhat by the fact that unlike many companies, dstl is willing to pay you during your internship.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • The nightlife was also a low point; we were only able to find two clubs that we all enjoyed. However, there were a large amount of us, making it difficult to find somewhere we all like. Both good clubs were also expensive to get into, costing in excess of £6 to enter. However, drinks were more reasonably priced. I am also a firm believer that nights out are what you make of them, so whilst the clubs are a long way off the best, we were definitely able to have some good nights.

    2/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There were a significant amount of opportunities available, from sports, to lunchtime lectures on a range of topics, to trips away for the day. DSTL always seemed to have something on offer, to the extent where there were almost too much to choose from. However, many of these required cars to get to, meaning it was difficult for placement students such as myself who relied on other people for lifts. Regardless, this is hardly dstl's fault, and more often than not someone was will to help if you asked.

    4/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

South East

August 2016


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