Undergraduate Design Engineer Review

I enjoyed most of the tasks I was given, however with most things I enjoyed some more than others. I was given the opportunity to work on different areas of the CEET, which allowed me to take responsibility for the design, which increased how much I enjoyed the work. I also enjoyed getting experience in other departments of the company outside of Design, however this was few and far between.

I was made to feel particularly valued by most of the staff at RP. There was a good atmosphere in most of the workshops, which was good to see, and the majority of the factory floor staff we're very friendly. In the design office where I worked, I was made to feel valued by all of the staff, even when things didn't go entirely to plan. Some managers could be quite blunt when reviewing my work, however if you put the effort in and done what they asked, things usually improved.

There was an excellent support structure at RP, which helped me increase my knowledge and understanding of the company's manufacturing processes. In most cases there was an expert on a particular field in the office that you could consult with regarding your design. For example if you had a composites question you would go to one manager, a mechanical question another etc. However this was subject to the individual being around, or being able to help due to their own work load. In regards to student support our Placement Mentor/ Supervisor was truly brilliant, even offering to help me move accommodation during the placement.

Ballance of work load leave much to be desired. In the early months of placement I found myself twiddling my thumbs on a number of occasions. Either waiting for a manager to review my work or wondering what it is I should be doing, as some of the design brief were a bit vague at best. However once I had become more experienced in using the software and designing for manufacturer, I was given more advanced tasks. This kept me busy for longer, and became more interesting.

In the later stages of my placement I was given a huge amount of responsibility. Considering my experience perhaps too much! In 2 of the tasks I was given I was responsible for an entire area of the trainer, which included the design of new components, and modifications to existing parts. I was also providing support to technical staff manufacturing my designs. I was also given the opportunity to work on more advanced projects at the end of my placement which was for the company's Motorsports side, RACEPREP. Which was strictly confidential and very very interesting indeed.

The skills I have gained, go above and beyond anything I would have expected before I applied for the job. The skills I have learnt are not just about pushing buttons in a CAD package, but also extend to engineering product for manufacturer, working with technical staff, talking to suppliers and customers, as well as much more. The skills I have gained are for life, and will help me in developing my career as well as working on my final year project, which I am being supported by RP for.

Atmosphere in the office was mixed, depending on who was in the office. As other reviewers have indicated there were some individuals that killed the atmosphere and some who made it. Overall the design office was a reasonable environment to work in, and one which allowed me to complete a placement year, which I am grateful for. I got on very well with my colleague placement student. Which always helped to lift the mood, knowing you have a friend sitting next to you.

The placement seemed to be well setup, RP have been taking student from Hertfordshire for a decent amount of years now and seem to have a good relationship with the uni. The majority of the permanent design team is made up of Herts graduates, which helps give you a conversation starter if nothing else. I think there could be more organisation with experience in other departments though. After being promised experience in all of the departments, over the course of 15 months I was only allowed experience in 3 of them.

Personal training was almost exclusively on the job. I wasn't offered the opportunity of any professional training courses at RP, so if that's what you're after look elsewhere. The on the job training I did receive was reasonably good. I would say however a previous and basic understanding of CAD packages is essential to this job. At the start of placement I was told to complete all of the SolidWorks built-in tutorials, I then progressed to basic design tasks, then tasks I was assigned increased in difficulty as the placement progressed, and my skills in SolidWorks increased. My Placement Mentor spent a significant amount of time during the beginning of the placement assisting me and the other student.

Future employment opportunity with the company would seem to be good. I was offered a graduate job with them when I graduate. I also extended my Placement with them by about 3 months at a higher pay. I must have impressed someone, exactly who still remains a mystery to me! However if the pay for permanent employee's is similar to that of placement students, I can without a doubt say I'll be looking elsewhere.

As there was only 2 of us students at the company others may have different experiences. I got on really well with the other student, which really helped how well the placement went for me. There are some really good outside areas to explore around Littlehampton. For example the South Downs which we both when to explore during our placement, as well as the east and west beach of Littlehampton. We also both had PS4's so that helped as well!

Cost of living in Littlehampton I would say is pretty much average for the country, there are all the major supermarkets in the area so you have your pick for the favourite. There is an abundance of rented property in Littlehampton all of which at different price points, some better value than others. On a personal note I advise staying away from the middle aged female live-in landlords. There are a good amount of pubs and café in the area, I didn't use any of them so can't comment on their value for money.

There was no real nightlife to speak of in Littlehampton, unless you enjoy street drinking and chain smoking. There was one night club I believe, however you'll want to stay well away if you're not 6ft tall, covered in tattoos and looking for a fight. In all seriousness there are an abundance of pubs some better than others, which I'm sure would provide a decent night out.

There weren't any company organised activities to get involved in, outside of work. There is however lots of opportunities in Littlehampton to volunteer. Littlehampton has all the major youth organisations. I myself volunteered with one of the local Scout Groups, I made some genuine friends there and as a result also joined the Scout Network. I attended most of there events which was fun and I nothing else a good distraction from work. There are lots of other clubs and activities to get involved in, in Littlehampton which I'd recommend you take advantage of.