Software Engineer Review

My placement year at CA Technologies as a Software Engineering intern has been an utmost beneficial and pleasant experience. Having never been previously employed, I had some reservations about how I would feel at the work place and how motivated I would be to carry out my daily activities. However, I was positively surprised at the welcoming and including atmosphere of the company. My colleagues always received my questions with a smile and even inquired for my help on occasion, making me feel as I was truly a part of the team. There was always new projects to work on, each different than the previous, but always interesting. This helped me apply the knowledge and skills I had acquired at university, but also learn more and extend my understanding of the available technologies, standards and methodologies.

Not even once have I felt ignored in my questions or proposals to the team. I have been greatly encouraged to pursue my curiosity into different topics and projects, receiving help whenever needed. The general atmosphere is relaxed, filled with good humor and helpful hands.

Management has been a substantial part of my positive experience during my placement. I was given plenty of opportunities that I wished to pursue, provided with guidance so as to understand how best to approach my objectives and achieve them. Having some personal issues to deal through the year, I was met with kind understanding and more support that truly showed that I was valued and cared for.

My days were spent working hard on every new project set. I never found myself going without work for more than several minutes, as there was always another story, or defect, or a team member to be completed or helped. Engineers volunteer for their workload, so you always get the kind of tasks you prefer.

As a Software Engineering intern I never felt too far apart from the rest of the team. The only separation was of course my lack of broad knowledge and experience, however, I was given all the opportunities as the rest, working on the live product and contributing to the newest features that were being released to customers. I worked on a substantially important piece of one feature, which would become one of the two focal visual points. Additionally, I was entrusted with conducting the recruitment process for next year's Software Engineering placement students, along with my current Software Engineering intern partner. This provided me with experience in skills set outside of my daily software activities and also put the serious responsibility of seeding through various candidates to find the perfect fit.

My placement at CA Technologies is tightly knit with my degree. All that I have done has either been a reinforcement of what I have already learned at university or an extension into the vast technologies and underlying knowledge that could not all be possibly be covered in university. Coming back to my final year I know much more than when I started and I am certainly going to apply all I have learned toward my degree and future career.

An incredibly relaxed and sunny office, filled with kind smiles and bright people. Everyone is extremely friendly and inviting, whether you would like to chat or need help. Daily activities are greeted with good humor and there are plenty of opportunities to establish new connections. Company events and sports events and classes provide a great social scene.

Bi-weekly meetings with the placement supervisor provide a direct communication to say how your internship is going, asking for help in needed be and discussing what else could be done to further improve the placement for future years. Quarterly meetings with your department manager help with establishing the personal progress achievements and how you could take it even further.

You are provided with all opportunities into branching out your knowledge and skills into the projects that you find interesting. Thus, any new information you require would be provided to you either through the knowledge of your colleagues who would sit down with you and guide you, also providing good material to watch or read, but also if needed further training or courses could be arranged.

At the current moment the company does not offer Graduate Schemes but is looking forward to establishing this in the near future. They have recently launched an Apprenticeship scheme and are continuing the Placement programme. Open opportunities depend greatly on department and location but one can always keep an eye out for the prospects.

Quite good, before we started we were given each other's mobile numbers, allowing us to set up a group chat and find accommodation together and organize events together. Company organised events are varied and plenty and provide a fun way of meeting people cross department and participating together in a fun activity.

The location of the Business park provides varied opportunities in where to live and venture out to explore and socialize. Lodgings vary in price so you could choose the one that best suits your needs. Being in close proximity to Windsor and London is a great advantage that broadens the places where one could go to find new activities or partake in an exciting social scene.

Personally, I have not ventured out in the Nightlife spots in the area I worked in, however, I knew of a few clubs and bars that people enjoyed. Furthermore, the direct link with London and its vast social scene creates plenty of opportunities for an exciting night out with colleagues or friends.

CA Technologies is a keen supporter of numerous charities and programmes. Employees have days for volunteering where they can go out and support a charity or cause that they are interested in. Furthermore the company organises on-site volunteering events for STEM promotion or raising funds. Thus, outside of your daily work activities you could venture out in such events where you could meet more people, help a cause, or guide young students into the career opportunities that exist.