Summer Internship Mechanical Engineer Review

My Mechanical Engineering internship at Cavendish Nuclear revealed how much more there is to learn away from university! I enjoyed reading from complex drawings (something I had not done at university before) and creating 3D CAD models from them. It was a great opportunity to develop my CAD skills and appreciate a professional engineering work environment. Cavendish Nuclear provided guidance before starting and made me feel welcome from day one. I also enjoyed the free coffee!

As a student, I felt that it is normal to feel 'looked down' at by other people such as lecturers, or people who stereotype the typical student. However at Cavendish Nuclear, I felt like I was treated fairly and as one of their own. People were happy to help when I got stuck, and I felt very welcome.

The support was always there - all I had to do was ask. The only times this became a problem was when my manager was away or busy, because I would run out of work to do with no-one to set me more work. I was regularly asked how I was getting on to ensure I was happy with how the placement was going.

It varied day to day due to the nature of the business. Some days/weeks would be much busier than others. Generally I always had some work to get on with so I was never really bored. I didn't have too much work set so I also didn't feel like I was too busy.

I was a technical role rather than managerial, so I wasn't given a huge amount of responsibility (and understandably for an Internship!). However I was set tasks and was expected to complete them without somebody looking over my shoulder every few minutes, so in that perspective I felt responsible for my work but not for other people.

My ability to read from technical drawings and create 3D CAD models were the main skills I developed during my placement. I also became aware of the professional environment such as the importance of health and safety, and the behavior that is expected of you in the workplace. You may think you know what is expected of you, but experiencing it first hand taught me a lot more.

Friendly. The people working in the nuclear industry have generally been in it since the current reactors were built, so there werent many younger people. However there were other internship students, placement students and graduates who all got together for lunch so it did not feel like you were alone. The atmosphere ties in with the culture, so I felt comfortable and respected. You're also trusted to work the hours you're contracted to, rather than monitored with a clock-in system, which creates a positive environment.

It could have been more structured, however it is depedant on the ongoing projects as you are put onto live projects rather than pre-made worksheets! So even though it seems like it wasn't organised, I always had real work to do on a project. The internship can be in any department in cavendish nuclear, so if there is a lack of work in one area, they can easily move you to another.

As the placement was only temporary (11 weeks), there was not that much time to complete special training courses etc. so I only completed mandatory online modules. These did however give me a broader understanding of the company, and that there are many things to consider other than technical work. The graduates had been on training modules and courses so the company is willing to invest a lot of time in their graduates.

I felt very well treated on these placements, which has resulted in me securing a place on their graduate scheme. Now that I am on the graduate scheme, I can say that they invest so much time and money in you, and are extremely organised. Having a placement gave me time to prove myself, and having that initial relationship with the company led to securing a job!

Yes, every lunch time we would chat about non work-related topics, and get invited to nights out/dinner with the other placement students/grads. It was a very inclusive scene where noone was left out. The other young people were friendly and were interested in what you had to say. I think Cavendish Nuclear like to select people with a lively and well-rounded character, as everyone got along without any conflicts.

I lived at home during my placement, and commuted by bicycle so the costs were minimal. The placement was based in Bristol, which is rather expensive for living compared with their other offices in manchester/leicester. Socialising costs are maybe slightly more expensive than average, but because Bristol is so big there is a wide vairety of places to choose from.

Loads of great bars, we went for a meal at a local microbrewery which is great if you love your beer! Bristol is always busy on weekends so you'll never struggle to find somewhere to go out. The office is not close to the town, but there is plenty of public transport available to get into town.

Yes, many of the staff liked to cycle so people were always going cycling on the weekend or after work. There was also a football team for a kick around every week, and I'm sure there was a lot more going on that I hadn't even heard about!