Vacation Student Review

I very much enjoyed my placement at Arup. The work was interesting and relevant. The team put a lot of effort into making me feel part of the group. My contributions were valued and I was given responsibility as well as a fair amount of autonomy which I greatly appreciate.

My work and contributions were valued and my colleagues were very good at acknowledging this. The members of the team who I knew from previous placements especially made a lot of effort to engage with me, both about work and socially. I was included in all the team social activities and really made to feel part of the group.

My supervisors were very proactive in ensuring I knew what I was doing and had all the tools / information I needed. They were always willing to answer questions, offer advice, or help solve problems. Several people in particular took the time to explain in a lot of detail things related to the work I was doing, in order to provide more depth to my experience.

By and large I had the right amount of work to be busy and productive. There was however some variance, on some days I didn't have enough work, this was mostly due to the fact that I was helping with several projects and so there were naturally rises and falls in their demands.

I was given what I felt was just the right amount of responsibility. On some projects my responsibility was very minor, but on others I was left to work, largely independently, towards some set deliverables. I found this variety of responsibility types, concomitant with the range of project types, stuck a good balance between deadline driven productivity and a relaxed environment to facilitate learning.

The skills I developed during my placement were not directly relevant to my degree as it is a more scientific focused degree than the engineering focused nature of the placement. However, I believe the skills I learnt during my placement will be very helpful in my future career as I intend to go into a similar style of engineering.

Excellent atmosphere, the team were very welcoming and inclusive. There was a great balance between productivity and a fun working environment. Certain members of the team, especially members of the senior leadership, took an active interest in the activities and hobbies I do outside of work which I really appreciated.

Overall the placement was well organised. The beginning of the placement was a little slow as it took time to find me projects to work on. This I suspect was largely due to the fact that I was working on several projects, assisting other members of the team, rather than having one project for the whole time.

Several members of the team made a real effort, and spent a lot of time, teaching me skills (such as coding in Python). They also took the time to explain the background and theory to several things I worked on, despite the fact that it wasn't necessary for what I was doing.

Excellent, I have a job lined up with them. I am very happy to be going to work for them as I found the work interesting and the team spirit outstanding. I believe the team aspect is a very important part of deciding to join a company as it effects the nature of the work.

I personally did not feel that I connected well with the other placement students. However, no-one was mean to me or made fun of my prosthetic leg, which is always a bonus. I suppose I could say I got my 'foot' in the door of the social scene towards the end of my placement.

My work placement was in central London, and therefore the cost of living and socialisng in the area was very high. The cost of renting a flat was colossal. However, it helped that I was a student as there are many discounts you can access at many restaurants and shops.

The night life was fantastic, dare I say, the best in Europe!? My favorite drink is a pink gin. I'm hoping to get some as my Christmas present! My favorite club is the G-A-Y! Did you know, Katy Perry has performed there! Wow! Also, South Bank looks undeniably beautiful at night. The nightlife was brilliant, deserving of a 10/10. There is so much choice in central London, catering to a variety of music and social interests. I was never bored of the nightlife, as there were always new places to experience. The only downside was the extortionate costs, which a student budget is not suited so well to!

Definitely. One highlight was an opportunity to attend a pub-and-beer festival with my colleagues. I highly valued the time outside of the formal work environment, where we could make real connections. Not only did this make me feel more comfortable living in London, but it increased our productivity back in the office.