Summer Placement Student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement. I was uncertain as what to expect but I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed working with Atkins for 8 weeks. This was my second placement and my first one was a bit disappointing. However, this year my placement was excellent and everything I worked on, the people I was with and the location was perfect.

I felt extremely valued by my colleagues. Throughout the 8 weeks I got to know everyone better which meant I was trusted with more work. Whenever a project was being discussed I always felt I could give my input and a lot of the time my colleagues took it on board and made a change based on what I said.

I was given plenty of support and guidance from my project manager and line manager. When completing project work my PM would give me plenty of detail into what I would need to be doing. If I had any questions I was able to ask my PM and they would be more than happy to assist me. When discussing the placement with my line manager, they were always available for a chat. Any issues I had or questions relating to the systems used at work were answered clearly and they helped me fully understand everything I was doing.

The workload varied on a daily basis, so some days there would be very little to do and other days there would be lots of tasks to complete. I never felt under pressure by the workload, it was always enough to keep me busy without feeling stressed for deadlines. If work was slow, I was able to complete training courses to give me important experience in different business skills. Myself and other placement students were also tasked with a group project. If there was any free time I would work on the group project in producing a report and presentation.

I was given a lot more responsibility than I was expecting. In my previous placement I was tasked with very menial activities. However this year I was given documents and drawings to change and produce. The work that I carried out was always checked and when approved it was sent directly to the client. The documents and drawings I made and changed will be used for the construction of a physical facility and a lot of trust has to be given for a summer student to do that.

The skills I have developed are invaluable to my degree studies and future careers. I have developed my communication, team working, self-checking and a variety of other skills. These skills are important for my future development and are not always developed at University. Having hands-on work experience has ensured I have developed working skills.

The office was always busy with people in the different teams always having discussions. There was plenty of laughter and casual conversations however everyone always worked very hard and ensured they got their work completed. Everyone knew everyone and they were all friendly. If anyone had a query that related to a different aspect of engineering people were able to ask colleagues in different teams that they didn't work with directly.

The placement was very organised. I knew which office I was going to be working in a few months in advance of the placement. This gave me plenty of time to find somewhere to live. My computer and log-in details were all ready for my arrival. There was a prepared induction process that informed me of everything I needed to know about the company and what I would be doing on my placement.

The company provided plenty of investment into me. I was able to complete a variety of training modules to improve my skills. I was given access to CAD software, which is something not covered in my degree. The software was explained to me and it was really valuable to learn a new skill as important as that. I was also taken on a site visit to see the physical equipment that would be used by the documents and drawings I produced.

I would love to work for Atkins when I graduate. Through the scholarship I am in, the company will offer a job if they believe I have proven myself over the summer placements I complete over my degree. I have discussed with a variety of different people in the company and they have expressed their interest in me staying with the company after graduation.

I was always in contact with other summer placement students. Every day we had a Skype group chat and were able to message each other about anything and everything. Every week we had a phone call just to catch up. When I first met some of the other placement students for the first time it wasn't awkward or unusual. Because we were in constant contact before and during the placement it felt like I had known them for years. There were plenty of social activities organised by the office.

Living in Warrington was unexpectedly cheap. For the 8 weeks I was staying there the rent was very competitive compared to other towns and cities. There were plenty of supermarkets so getting good food on a budget was feasible. The local transport was also reasonable and discounted due to the office I was working in. Everything was reasonably priced and I nothing was of an extreme cost.

The nightlife was not particularly exciting. The area had the usual of pubs and restaurants. There was a cinema nearby as well. However, there are really good connections to Liverpool and Manchester and very easy to travel their for a more exciting night. Those cities have a lot more going on and it's easy to travel their for cheap.

There were some opportunities to get involved with outside of work activities. Due to the placement being over summer, there were not as many activities scheduled as compared to other times of the year (due to staff being on holiday). Working with Atkins after graduation would allow me to access a whole range of other activities throughout the year.