Summer Intern Review

I was required to be on site 4 days a week and in the office one day a week. This role involved both physical work and office work. The physical work revolved around observing and contributing to the extraction of natural gas from their Newport site, while Fridays were reserved for reflecting on what improvements could be made to these processes. These suggestions were both for the company as a whole and our own individual work.

I was able to apply the skills I had learnt in Excel to my Masters' project. Beyond that, I was able to decide that I wanted to enter the energy industry upon graduation, and I am glad that the insight gave me a direct route into the company without any further applications. This is especially because I found it difficult to find a summer internship during my undergraduate years, and without this I would have struggled to find a job upon graduation from my Masters.

I was given a lot of responsibility from the very beginning of my placement. This was mainly on site and was supplemented by office sessions on Fridays. Exxon Mobil invested a lot into our learning and development. They did so for obvious reasons - to invite us to return full time and be well equipped to do a full time job, but also because they recognize the need for graduates to gain the necessary workplace skills to succeed.

I was given a lot of guidance - partly for safety reasons but also because I was not expected to know too much about the natural industry - although a willingness to learn was expected of me. This support involved shadowing to online courses and safety training, all of which equipped me well for my full time job. My line manager was always on hand to support me if I had any questions about the nature of the work.

The insight helped me to understand the companies culture very well. Exxon Mobil aim to provide a consistent service for all users in the UK, and this is embodied in their values. We were reminded of these values throughout - from the application process to the final interviews we had at the end of our placement. There is often a perception that the industry is immoral but Exxon Mobil make sure that they humanise their approach to extracting natural gas.

I did enjoy the internship very much - it was a good insight into what life as an engineer at Exxon Mobil entails. Exxon Mobil are always looking for people with strong scientific or engineering skills to join them. I was made to feel welcome at all times and they invited me back for a full time position. Moreover, I made a lot of friends both in the role and also from where I was staying throughout the summer.

Yes

Do not stress about the technical nature of the application process. It is mainly the interview that differentiates candidates for a summer internship role. The assessors know that almost all applicants have the technical skills necessary to succeed through their degrees and are looking for people who have the knowledge to apply these skills in a real world environment. Potential is more important than experience at this stage. Emphasise how your extra curricular activities have helped you to achieve this.