Building Services Summer student Review

I really enjoyed my placement and hope to return to work for Atkins upon graduation. The workload was varied and provided you showed initiative colleagues then valued your skills and knowledge more. The team was extremely diverse and therefore I was able to learn a lot during my internship. The only negative aspect was that as my internship was during the summer the office was empty for a few weeks so not as social as I had hoped.

At the start of my internship I was given a lot more research based work and small tasks that were regularly checked by my mentors. However, as the weeks progressed I felt more valued by my colleagues and was given more work across a variety of projects. Everyone in the office was very approachable which resulted in me learning a lot more as they were always available to answer any questions I had.

There was always someone on hand to help whether that was my line manager, mentor or colleagues in the team. Working closely with my mentor and a small team ensured that there was always guidance given during task or project work. I was also encouraged to attend Lunch time CPDs and external events to further my knowledge of the industry and also gave me the chance to network.

Varied depending on deadlines. When there were upcoming issue deadlines and reviews taking place my workload was particularly high, occasionally staying late after work. However, this was balanced by a few more quiet weeks in the office. There was always work to be completed (as I worked with a few teams during my internship) whether it was in preparation for a new deadline or additional research to support upcoming projects.

As my internship progressed I was given more responsibility by my mentor and colleagues. I was able to work alone to complete tasks with regular checks that I as on track. I also felt that my opinion was valued during team meetings when I was asked to attend. My responsibility for particular tasks also varied based on the modules I had taken at university and which tasks I felt more confident in completing.

I will be able to implement everything I learned during my internship in my last year of university. My masters year modules will be particularly focused around the things I have learnt during my internship. Upon graduation I hope to continue working within the buildings and infrastructure industry which means the skills I have learned during my internship will assist my development further.

Generally very relaxed (with the exception of deadlines when there seemed to be last minute stress to collate all the necessary information needed). There were a few quiet weeks in the office when a lot of my colleagues were on annual leave. Everyone in the team was very friendly and approachable; however, it was not as social as I had hoped.

Very well organised. I was constantly given support by my mentor and although I had a varied workload I was never short of things to do. There were weekly meetings to check progress which gave me a chance to offer my feedback on how I felt things were going. I was also given the opportunity to work on projects which interested me and would further my knowledge as a result of these meetings.

I feel that Atkins is a place that I could learn a lot and develop my knowledge further. Over the summary I feel like I have gains a number of skills which I was be able to use in my final year studies and later in my career. Attending regular meetings and events also gave me further insight into the industry. The company has also extended an offer for me to return after I graduate which I am very interested in doing.

Extremely appealing. The diversity of the projects being worked on in the office are very exciting and the workload seems to be constantly varied. There is also the opportunity to develop your own career based on what elements of the sector interest you most. The graduate development scheme also seems very well organised and as I hope to gain chartership, the programme is particularly appealing as the company is accredited by CIBSE.

There was not a good social scene amongst the team. There was only a couple of attempts to arrange any socials after work (some of which didn't even happen). As the only intern in my department the social aspect was limited (although everyone in the office was very friendly). Other departments have a lot more graduates and interns so the social scene is better. It would be good to have an introduction of graduates and interns to ensure networking and communication between the departments has a higher priority.

I lived at home during my internship so didn't have the living costs associated with London. Socialising in London however is particularly expensive (as anticipated) although it depends on what you are doing. The location of the office was very ideal with plenty of cafes and restaurants around to have lunch in and also a large square where a large number of workers went to have lunch.

Being in the London the nightlife was very good as there are a number of bars and restaurants around. However, the costs of these places can be extremely high.

Not during my internship.