Summer Student Review

by Atkins

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

2.3/5
  • The Role
    2.3
  • The Company
    2.0
  • The Culture
    2.5

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • I understand that as an intern, or even a graduate, you do not get the most enthralling work to do. But I rarely got any work to do. I did indeed ask around regularly for things to do, but there was just nothing that someone of so little experience to do. On my time sheets my productivity is less than 20% meaning 80% or more of my internship was spent reading Wikipedia articles, listening to the radio or discretely scrolling through facebook. Even just getting menial checking spread sheet tasks was extremely exciting to me after just a week because I was so bored.

    2/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • People are generally courteous and polite but rarely take a genuine interest in you. So although I felt comfortable being in the office, it was only after I had cried for 5 hours one day at my desk, before anyone noticed I was upset, that I realised I probably wasn't that valued.

    2/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • After a breakdown in the office due to unforeseen personal circumstances, and I had notified management of my problems. The problem was resolved (by transferring me to a different office) within 20 minutes. It was a Friday afternoon, by Monday morning I was working at the new office. Excellent support.

    5/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • Not busy at all. I found things to occupy myself, found Bidding documents to read and understand current projects, and asked questions but next to nothing actually given to me to do.

    2/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • No responsibility. If I was given work it was always checked by senior staff and the deadline was weeks away despite me being able to finish the task in a couple hours. So no pressure and no responsibility.

    2/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I did learn a few new technical things such as new equations and I developed a working understanding of AutoCAD which I did not previously have. These should help in my up and coming degree years. However I was not given any specific development or training.

    3/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • The Warrington office is very friendly, there is a nice relaxed, chatty atmosphere. It feels rather comfortable to come to work here.

    3/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • The placement was not organised considerately. I was originally placed in London despite living 30 minutes from the Warrington office and several complaining emails on my part warning them I could not afford it. My whole salary was pre-spent finding accommodation for the London placement, I then had to use saving to spend on food and transport. I lost money this summer and after several issues half way through I was relocated up to Warrington. Why could I not have been placed there in the first place?!?!

    2/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • There was little investment, but I did have access to a few lunch time CPD courses available to the whole office team, which of course I took advantage of

    2/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • 1/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • Not appealing at all. At this stage I don't think that it is necessarily due to the company, I think my some unfortunate events and the lack of work (which would probably be expected in any company for someone at my level) have influenced this opinion to some extent. However what this experience has taught me most is that I do not, whatsoever, want to be sat at a computer all day, commuting for hours each way to do the same thing day in day out, like I have done this summer. I want to be hands on in whatever job I do, and that is out of Atkins hands so it should not reflect on them.

    3/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • In London there was one other placement student whom lived to far away so there was no opportunity to socialise with her. There are no interns in the Warrington office except for me, and there are no current or up-coming social events as far as I am aware.

    3/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • In London my weekly food bill and excess payments (eg bus journeys) came to £100-120. This personally was atrocious, but that's London for you. In Warrington I lived at home with my parents and there was no socialising so my costs came down to £0/week

    1/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Amazing nightlife in London if that floats your boat. I liked going home to see my family whilst working in Warrington, it honestly kept me sane.

    4/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • I did have the opportunity to join the office touch rugby team in London. It was my first time ever playing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was not any similar opportunity in Warrington as far as I am aware.

    3/5

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Details

Internship (1 Month+)

July 2017


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