Summer Intern Review

The work was varied and heavily related to my mechanical engineering degree. My work included, product design, CAD, 3D printing, working on a prototype in the workshop, completing a report and presenting the teams research and findings. I enjoyed being part of a team in the Innovation Centre but it was less enjoyable when the project ended and there was limited work to do.

I worked in a team of 5 and I felt the team expressed a lot of appreciation for the work I did and they included me as if I was a permanent member of Sellafield. I was given key roles in the project and given the responsibility to present in the team presentation which was great for my development.

I had a supervisor and a manager. My manager was very busy and so I didn't receive that much support from my manager. However, I saw my supervisor every day and he provided me with guidance and support helping me to develop as much as possible in the short time of my placement.

Some days I was extremely busy and I enjoyed those days the most. However, there were many days, particularly at the start and end of my placement where I had little work to do and hence my placement was much less enjoyable. The placement would have definitely been better if I was given work from day one.

During my placement, I was given as much responsibility as every full Sellafield employee. This included the use of the 3D printing machine to produce prototype parts as well as given key roles in presenting the team's work to the stakeholders of the project. The level of responsibility I was given was one of the best aspects of my placement.

During my placement, I developed presentation skills through direct feedback from my manager. Furthermore, I improved my team working and communication skills which is very important for group projects. Therefore, the skills I gained have been useful for group project work but less useful for the other aspects of my degree.

The general atmosphere in my office was good. People were friendly and the atmosphere was productive. This enabled me to feel comfortable in the working environment and as a result I was able to reach my max potential whilst working on the project during the placement. I enjoyed the atmosphere a lot.

The internship was organised very well with a scheduled training day on the first day and introductory talks on the second day to get used to the large site and my role. Furthermore, tours were scheduled for the placements students which was great to get involved with. It was definitely organised well.

The firm invested in me reasonably well. I was bought the correct PPE so that I could use the workshop and also given the necessary training to use the workshop. The placement was short and so there were limited other opportunities to get involved with training. Furthermore, this would have taken time out of my project.

They are appealing due to the high salary and the opportunity of advancement up the ranks of the company. Furthermore, the graduate scheme sounds well organised and provides a lot of training which will help with personal development. However, the remoteness of the location definitely puts me off taking any future employment.

Definitely. A member of Sellafield organised trips such as a trip to the pup and hiking trips for the placement students and the graduate students. This helped to break the ice and made the placement more enjoyable especially as there isn't much to do in the area in which Sellafield is located.

Cost of living is extremely cheep and only cost £40 a week to rent. Socialising was a little pricey since you usually had to travel a fair distance to socialise or go to the pub which was often very expensive. But due to the low rent, it was very cheap.

Only 2 places for nightlife so it wasn't too good.

Definitely. A member of Sellafield organised trips such as a trip to the pup and hiking trips for the placement students and the graduate students. This helped to break the ice and made the placement more enjoyable especially as there isn't much to do in the area in which Sellafield is located.