Industrial Placement Student - Engineering Review

I really enjoyed my placement. I was given real work to do, my own projects which had deliverables and also the opportunity to take part in other activities that allowed me to develop skills in other areas not directly related to my day to day tasks.

My Work had a real impact on the day to day working of other people and they all made sure to tell me how I was making a difference in their working lives and also challenged me to improve myself from their own experiences. I also felt that I was a part of the team and that I was no different to a proper employee.

My managers were all very supportive and there when I needed them. I could always approach them with any problems that I was having and they were always open ears to any suggestions that I had to make. They never made me feel as anything different from a normal employee. Also they always let me know that there was work they depended on me for and this gave me real encouragement to preform better.

I was given a very big project on which there was only certain time of the day that I could work on therefore work days were sometimes very long, however the businesses time policy was very very good and if I did feel like I was drained one day due to having a busy day the day before the policy had features which allowed me to take time off which did not impact my annual leave which I think was very good.

I was given my own project from the get go and this project was going to have a real impact on the business if it worked. Therefore I knew I had to get it done and that also on my own as others had other things to do too. That said I never felt like I could not get support from anybody, everybody was there when I needed them if I didn't understand anything.

I have learned a lot over the last year. I have gained new programming skills which I don't think I would have been able to get otherwise. Also I have been able to gain the skills of how to work in a business very early on in my career which I think will really benefit me later in life. I have also learned how to make contacts within a business. This has allowed me not only to make friends for life but also if I need any help later in life I know I can count on them to help me and in todays age having the right contact in the right places can really help.

The atmosphere was really really good. The office was an open plan office and therefore you could speak to everybody at all times. This meant that you could as anything at any time. The office was often quite which made concentrating on your work very good.

Overall the placement was organised well. The team that I was in was very organised and supported me through the whole thing however I believe the early careers team could have been organised slightly better as there was often miscommunication and also lack of information however I still believe it was a well organised placement

The company did not hold back on anything. If I needed training or equipment all I had to do was ask my line manager and he made it happen. I believe I was very luck in having the line manager that I had as he sorted anything and everything that I asked for. Never was I told that I could not have this or that training as I was a placement student. I would say they invested in me well

Very very good. As long as you get a good end of placement review the company will give you an offer on the condition that you meet certain academic requirements. They were very clear on that and means that I have a almost guarantied job after my final exams and I don't have to worry as much.

The company has a big graduate community and they are very very supportive and social. There was almost at least one social outing once a week and a big one very month

Glasgow was very expensive if you are renting and living on your own.

I had chosen to stay in a very quite location as I don't like the noise too much but in Glasgow city centre there is something going on every night as it is a big student town due to Glasgow having something like 3-4 universities close to each other, so there is always something to do.

Yes the company had many extra things that you could take part in as long as you had a sign off from your line manager and it wasn't going to effect you day to day work.