Civil Engineering Intern Review

My placement at Arup was both enjoyable and informative, providing me experience in the real world of engineering whilst developing my skill set as a young engineer. Whilst at Arup I also partook in social events organised through my colleagues including weekly football games and a pool competition. My time at Arup was more than just an industrial placement, which has inspired me to apply for a job there following graduation in the summer.

Everyone in the Arup office was both welcoming and friendly. Within my first few days I was talking to multiple people across my team, embracing the hot desk policy which allowed me to sit next to someone different every day. Inclusivity is a core value at Arup, demonstrated by employees throughout the office. My managers and experienced members of the team made me feel like I'd been working with them for a long time and wasn't just a student on placement.

Whilst working on projects at Arup I always had someone I could go and talk to about the work or ask questions if I felt I was struggling. As well as this, the rest of the team and people sat around me were always happy to offer support and guidance if I ever had a query. My colleagues were always incredibly patient and informative which helped develop my confidence to ask for help.

A lot of the time I had multiple jobs to do, meaning I was managing my time and prioritising tasks relating to their deadlines. This improved my project management as well as engineering skills. I sometimes found myself with little or nothing to do however, in which case I would follow tutorials online or look at courses developing my ability to use different computer programs which I'd later use.

One of the most welcoming things about my placement was the level of responsibility I was given. On previous placements I've been given nominal tasks to do which won't be taken into practice, yet at Arup I was working on projects that were to be used in the real world. I was in charge of report writing for projects all over the world and recording documents that were being sent in from other engineering companies, regarding the design of a new HS2 facility.

I believe the skills I learned and developed during my time at Arup can be used to help me in the final year of my degree program and in future for further engineer tasks. The computer programs I've become used to as well as the soft skills I've developed have helped my appreciation for the technical side of engineering, whilst also deepening my appreciation for the work that goes to each and every engineering project that Arup produce.

The Sheffield office I worked in had a lively yet welcoming atmosphere. Everyone I came across was happy to engage in conversation with me and discuss their work when I took in interest in what they were doing. Within a week or so at the office I'd spoken to and conversed with people outside of my team and made friends who I've since kept in touch with.

My placement was structured to allow me to complete tasks for different team members across my 6 week experience. This gave variety to my work and meant I was working on different project types throughout the week. The range of work I was doing meant I went from reading flood reports in Hull to creating models of 3D maps for Mauritius. This kept me engaged and interested in the work I was doing at all times.

To aid my personal development and training my managers ensured I had tasks to do which would aid my engineering skill set if I ever found myself with little to do. I was given computer program tutorials to undertake on programs I'd later be using, which helped my understanding of the software. This meant that when I was given a task to complete I was more comfortable with the programs and less reliant on engineers around me.

Following on from my placement at Arup I would cherish the opportunity to work for them again once graduated. The people I worked with and tasks I had to complete were engaging and interesting and left me eager to come back and work for the company full-time. I look forward to applying there in the coming months and taking my application further.

During my time at Arup there weren't many other placement students. In my team and the neighbouring one there was two other placement students but little social scene amongst us. I knew one of them previously through university but we never had much opportunity to socialise as such, despite working close to each other. This did not hinder my time at Arup though as I could still chat to them whilst working in a relaxed environment.

My placement at Arup was in Sheffield, the same city as where I attend university. I am used to the cost of living and socialising here and I believe it is fairly reasonable, especially when juxtaposed to my first placement of the summer in Hemel Hempstead. The cost of using the gym and a food shop in Sheffield was much cheaper and more reasonable than it was in Hemel Hempstead and meant I had a bit of money left over after being paid.

I didn't go out much during my placement but from university life I know that Sheffield is a good place to go out. As the city doesn't necessarily have a 'centre' as much it leaves the surrounding streets thriving with students and locals. The atmosphere is always friendly with a buzz to it and isn't too expensive as long as you avoid Saturday nights in the higher end bars!

There were endless opportunities to take part in social events outside of the workplace at Arup. Yoga classes, pride events and social evenings at local pubs were all advertised during my time there. I took part in football games on a Thursday evening and a pool competition at a local bar and was able to converse with colleagues I hadn't previously had a chance to during office hours.