Integrated Gases Machinery Review

I really enjoyed my placement and greatly enjoyed creating new functionality for existing tools in use by the department. I also really enjoyed learning about all of the equipment specified by the department.

I felt really valued by my colleagues and felt like part of the team. I did not just feel like the “intern”. They were always willing to answer any questions that I had or point me in the right direction of someone that would be able to provide the information I needed.

My manager and supervisor were great at providing support. They always took time to check that I wasn’t stuck on task and were happy to answer questions or give the support I needed to complete tasks. They also arranged weekly meetings to sit down and discuss the status of my work which was really useful.

Overall I feel my workload over my 3 month placement was perfect. I created scopes of work to make sure that I knew what was required of that piece of work and also to estimate the time required.

I feel I was given a large amount of responsibility through my placement. I was able to develop the new functionality for the tool in my own way but having the support of a senior engineer meant I never felt truly stuck. I felt able to complete my work but knew there was the support available if I needed it.

I feel I will use the skills I developed during the placement not only at university but in life in general. The placement has really developed my knowledge of machinery which will I will use at university but also the skills of document control, supplier liaison, and more!

The atmosphere in my office was really good. The open plan nature of the office made it really sociable and easy to ask any questions. However, it was quiet enough that it was possible to get on with work. Also due to being a reasonable sized office someone was always bringing food in for birthdays etc

The placement was really well organised and everything I required was available either before I started or on my first day. The team responsible for organising the placement were great at providing the information or answering any questions I had. The induction day was also really useful and provided a great introduction to the company and the other placement students.

I was able to go on multiple site visits to learn about processes and equipment. I was also able to complete online training to increase my knowledge which will help with my degree studies next year. I feel the company were really willing to help me increase my knowledge through training and presentations by suppliers and senior engineers.

There was a great social scene amongst the fellow placement students. We had lunch together on most days and regularly went on trips to the local pub for meals and quizzes. There were also events available such as BBQs and camping trips. I really enjoyed being able to socialise with the fellow placement students.

Due to being quite close to London the cost of living and socialising was quite high. It is possible to find cheap accommodation but this can sometimes be outweighed by the cost of transport. Socialising was quite costly but manageable. I found that the cycling infrastructure around work and at work was great which made cycling to work a great idea.

The nightlife was okay but you have to travel. There are a few local pubs with pub quizzes but if you want to go on a night out you have to travel further away. I lived near Kingston for the last month of my placement and found that the nightlife was quite nice whether you wanted to go for a meal or to the cinema.

There were opportunities to join the running club and other sports clubs at work which I thought was a good idea.