Industrial Placement Student Review

There were some fun parts and some not so fun parts overall. There was plenty of interesting work, however I didn't seem to be given much of it! The first few months of my placement were the most enjoyable as I was involved with a really interesting and challenging project. However towards the end of the placement I feel I was treated more as a cheap expendable employee rather than a student looking for professional development. I asked several times to be given tasks to enhance my computational physics and lab work skills, but these requests were mostly ignored despite there being plenty of work.

On a social level I felt very welcomed to the team and was invited to several work events including christmas meals/team building exercises/pub lunches etc... However on a professional level I feel that I wasn't valued as equally as full-time employees. As mentioned above I was mostly given tedious tasks that had to be done, but that no one else wanted and I didn't seem to get a choice in the matter.

At the start of my placement I was made aware of an induction checklist from another student who started a month before me, something my line manager hadn't mentioned to me. Other reviews for DSTL mention a buddy system, however I was not assigned one of these and for most of my placement I wasn't really sure where I fit in or what I was supposed to be doing due to a lack of guidance. However on a positive note the majority of my colleagues were approachable and were very helpful with regards to technical advice.

This is very difficult to say on average. There were some periods (particularly over March - April at the end/start of the FY) where there was basically nothing for me to do and I was expected to sit reading textbooks or finding online resources for matlab. On the other hand there were other periods where I was involved with offsite lab work and was expected to work 8-9 hour days, excluding 1-2 hours of travel there and back. Overall the pacing of the placement was not very consistent and often quite frustrating! (However thankfully DSTL does offer flexi time so the extra hours worked are worth something!)

For most of my placement I was left to my own devices and towards the end I was given the opportunity to plan and perform an experiment myself. However, for most lab work over the year I was not trusted to do what was required, which was very frustrating as I felt perfectly capable and often my suggestions were ignored.

As much as I did not enjoy spending hours on google performing "literature searches" this will certainly help me with my project work when returning to University. I have also been exposed to a lot of advanced computational techniques including the creation and training of neural networks that has helped me get a better feel for computing languages in general.

At first I was placed in a very quiet office and socially I only got on with 1 other person around me so the atmosphere was not great. I asked to be moved to an office I had become close with halfway through my placement and this had a much more relaxed and social atmosphere (i.e. it really depends on the office!).

Very poor. There was no structure to the placement at all and as mentioned earlier I really didn't know what I was supposed to be doing on a daily basis. I was assigned to different project groups, however no one made sure that there was something there for me to do as a student that wasn't just menial tasks.

I was required to do several health and safety training courses specific to the DSTL site (i.e. ionizing radiation/lasers/explosives), however after this there wasn't really any investment in my skills. I was assured that I would get the chance to go on a matlab or GEANT training course, however these never materialized.

Very unappealing based on my placement experience regarding the team I was placed in and the work I was given. Other students in other areas of the company have enjoyed much more fulfilling placements so opportunities elsewhere in DSTL are still a possibility for the future. Since this site is shutting soon (and for me the biggest benefit is it's proximity to london) I do not intend to come back.

Yes. The younger employees, graduates and students were all very social in and out of work. There were plenty of social events put on by a new starter group at DSTL, however neither I nor anyone I met ever attended these so I cannot comment on them. Our group met to play tennis once a week and regularly met at the pub or each others houses.

If you live closer to London obviously the cost is much higher. I lived in Bromley which is London prices although some property is reasonably priced. Bromley has fantastic connections to London and is only a 20-25 minute drive from work. Unfortunately Fort Halstead is too far away from London to offer a London wage so if finances are a deciding factor for you there are plenty of small villages nearer work that offer cheaper accommodation at the price of less nightlife, a smaller social scene and worse connections to London.

In Bromley there are two clubs. I never went to either as they looked small and honestly not my type of venue. I cannot comment on the nightlife around work or in Sevenoaks, however I imagine it to be similar or worse than that in Bromley. The best suggestion if you want good nightlife is to just go to London. So I am giving this 2 stars for near work, but it would be more like 8 stars if you live close enough to go to London.

Yes plenty. The new starter group offers several events such as trips to theme parks, pub quizzes, trips to London (winter wonderland, museums etc...). Working at DSTL you also qualify for the Defence Discount service which offers several discounts and events such as a Forces only day at Alton Towers.