Industrial Placment Review

My placement at BAE Systems was really enjoyable. I was able to work on a range of different projects so expanded my knowledge in lots of different areas of engineering. The teams I worked with were all great too which always makes a big difference. My managers were always checking that I had enough work and that I was generally coping ok with everything.

My colleagues made me feel valued of a daily basis and gave me support throughout my placement. They always treated my ideas as though they were coming from someone who was fully qualified which was sometimes quite scary but also very nice that thought my ideas and designs were valid!

I had 2 managers who both were really supportive and gave me lots of guidance throughout my time on placement. They were both really encouraging towards my personal development and really helpful when it came to filling out any necessary paperwork for university. I also had 3 supervisors who were project specific and they were great at teaching me how the company works and also with expanding my engineering knowledge.

There was never a time where I had nothing to do as my managers were good at giving me work to do! The work load increased in waves throughout the year but that was due to the stages of the different projects and what work there was that needed doing.

I was given a fair amount of responsibility. At times I felt a little out of my depth but my managers would help me out if it ever got too much. BAE Systems encourage you to take on STRETCH assignments which are outside of your day-to-day job role so they are great for having large amounts of responsibility and running with projects.

I found that the placement hugely developed my people skills which I hadn't realised could be improved quite that much! It also hugely increased my self-confidence which will help me so much in any future jobs. I think that my work ethic will be better when I return to university which will hopefully help in my studies. From an engineering theory point of view, I learnt less but the things I did learn will be really valuable.

A really nice group of people who welcomed me into the team. The office building itself is quite old but had some renovation done. There are some nice areas like the canteen which is a really good space to have lunch and meet people for coffees. There is also a chill out room and some sofas.

Really well organised and very clear routes for after you had completed the placement.

I personal did not get to go on any training courses but there is funding available if you have a business justification.

Very appealing as they can offer both Summer internships and a grad scheme place which would be great. They also allow for a bit of flexibility so that you can go to a different site from where you did your placement and also can provide support in switching business units but this cannot be guaranteed.

Yes a really good social scene as there were lots of placement student and graduates based together. The company also encourages you to meet other students and helps you make those connections which can be quite daunting in the first days! There are a number of events held throughout the year, such as a Christmas party, quizzes etc.

Quite expensive.

Clubs in Portsmouth, lots of pubs on the Isle of Wight!

Lots of sailing and other sporting opportunities on the Isle of Wight, a variety of gyms and clubs too.