Liquids Process Engineer Review

by Unilever

Best Student Employer

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

Rating

3.7/5
  • The Role
    4.3
  • The Company
    3.8
  • The Culture
    2.6

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
  • My work was varied from classical engineering to some pretty new cutting edge work in the digital field. I gained lots of skills and was given some big responsibilities, not without a safety net though and even when I felt out of my depth I was assured it was all going to be okay. And it was!

    5/5

  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
  • Every time I did something on a large platform I could always feel my team mates cheering me on. Its like everyone wanted you to do good. You can tell they assign value to you and the work that you do with the level of freedom and autonomy you are given even as a placement student. A few placement students got to run their own trials in other parts of the world and I got to lead a session in a completely different continent.

    5/5

  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
  • I was very well supported because they understand that we are in a new environment. They do expect a level of independence and ability to take initiative as the months wear on. This is something that took me a while to figure out but comes with time as you begin to trust your decisions more.

    4/5

  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
  • Varied, dependent on what work there was to be done. After completing a piece of work there was often a gap where you were waiting to gather feedback before making improvements. there were definitely times in which I was very busy but only had to work outside of working hours a handful of times.

    4/5

  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
  • I was given a lot of responsibility and they did it in a way that didn't stress me too much. There was always support available when I didn't always know what to do but they definitely push you outside your comfort zone! That is the best way to grow so I am thankful.

    5/5

  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
  • I developed a lot of technical knowledge however I developed more soft skills like teamwork and project management, public speaking, organisational awareness, professionalism. These will assist me in a all walks of life. The technical knowledge I acquired were in basic areas that are transferrable to many different industries which is useful.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
  • It depends on how busy the office was. My office is quite large but as I am in a Global role, there were often people away on business. When everyone was in though it was always very fun. The general atmosphere was very fun and often lots of snacks available.

    4/5

  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
  • As the students are employed by a third party then sub-contracted out to Unilever, I would say that method of overall management wasn't the best. The contractors are not as organised as they could be but that is not a fault of Unilever I guess. It isn't horrendous, just could be better.

    3/5

  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
  • They invested whatever it took to be honest. As long as you made them aware of the area of development that you would like to improve, there was a way in which they would help you get there which was good to see how they invest so much in you.

    5/5

  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
  • Financial Bonus

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Working from home

    4/5

  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
  • I would like to be employed by the company in the future on the graduate scheme as a "Future Leader". it is a very tough scheme however and there are not that much spaces available which makes competition incredibly tough however if they can see your values align then there is a space for you in the organisation.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
  • I often had to work with other placement students or at least ask for their help in part. Outside of that, weather permitting, there were usually meet and greets and hang outs when we were all in close proximity to each other. Often we were spread throughout the country but.

    4/5

  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
  • I lived in a VERY cheap area. In the north, everything is miles cheaper than the London prices I had become accustomed to. you can get £3 pints and £1 shots so going out was always pretty cheap. It did depend on the event of course but in general things were pretty cheap.

    3/5

  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
  • Having 3 universities in close proximity to each other means there isn't a shortage of students so the student life is pretty active. There are clubs to suit everyone's music taste so whatever you're into there is probably a place for you. Just need to find out where it is.

    3/5

  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
  • There were some outreach activities to schools, STEM days, running club, football club, netball club and other clubs I think. I never really got involved with clubs outside of work if i'm honest but I am aware of the various ones available to those who would be interested in them.

    2/5

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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

Data Science, Chemical Engineering, Consumer Products/FMCG

North West

June 2019


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