Year in Industry Student for RAM Structures Review
by Network Rail
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
4.7
-
The Company
4.6
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The Culture
4.1
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
It was a really enjoyable experience and prepared me well for a job in the future. I would recommend this placement to any budding civil engineers to understand what they will be undertaking on a day to day basis and to make sure it suits them! I learnt such valuable skills and gained countless experiences to add to my CV.
I felt very valued by all my colleagues, they all treated me like friends from day one. Everyone was extremely helpful, and I didn't feel like a year in industry student at all. There is no sense of hierarchy and everyone works together extremely well. There is no intimidation factor.
Both my Supervisors gave me countless support and were either a phone call or email away at most. I was provided with 1 to 1 sessions to discuss my progress and attended countless team meetings to keep me in the loop. My supervisor also treated me like a peer even though he is a senior asset engineer.
I had a project from the start to get on with and several other tasks ongoing. The work is continuous, and you are never left bored. Some of the tasks can get monotonous but that is with every job. Going on site is the best experience and the engineers are happy to facilitate this.
I was trusted from early on to do small tasks and my responsibility increased as I gained more and more experience. I had to read standards and learn how to use the asset management system but after this I could help with almost everything.
This year has taught me the real-life applications of the theoretical work I have completed at University. Now when I go back for my final year, I have a new perspective which will benefit my learning capabilities.
The Company
It is a very friendly environment and quite chatty. There is healthy buzz and strong friendships, everyone helps everyone.
There is a well organised scheme for the placement year and objectives to follow. The scheme is suited towards what you want to do and is very flexible.
They trained me for personal track safety and other courses from Communication to Presentation Skills. I also attended Learn Workshops and other days which really proved how invested Network Rail are.
Flexi Time
Company Car
Above 25 days holiday
Working from home
I have applied to be on the graduate scheme and have been recommended by my supervisor so hopefully I get accepted!
The Culture
Very social; everyone is very talkative and there is a great office enviornment.
Birmingham is quite expensive but if you find the right places it doesn't have to be!
I have never experienced it so I wouldn't know, I came to Birmingham purely for work.
We had group meals and drinks but other than that not much else.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
West Midlands
August 2019
