Student Chemist Review
by Lubrizol
This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
3.7
-
The Company
3.7
-
The Culture
3.4
- 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
Placement was really enjoyable, allowing an insight into industrial work, and how this differs from acedemic work.
The team I worked with were really supportive and I felt well included during my placement.
Both my supervisor and manager were really helpful, with weekly/ 2-weekly catch ups with each, to make sure I was on track.
As expected, some days were busier than others depending on the amount of time required in the lab. However, when not in the lab there was plenty of report writing to be getting on with.
I was treated as a full time member of staff in terms of the responsibility I was given with my project. However, more responsibilities within the lab would have been good as well to improve practical as well as planning and organanisational skills.
Working in industry is always different to an acedemic environment, and sometimes the knowledge required is more technical than chemistry related. Having said that, my knowledge of specific aspects of chemistry (i.e. chemistry relating to the oil industry) has been greatly developed.
The Company
The atmosphere was friendly and help was always available, whilst prefessional and tranquil to allow work to be efficiently carried out.
The organisation of the placement was great, with a clear project given to me for my university report and other mini projects to work on towards the end of my placement.
The company allowed students to attend a variety of training courses, such as manual handling, COSHH training e.t.c., providing us with similar opportunities to full time members of staff.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
As I am doing a PhD sponsored by my company, future employment prospects appear to be promising, allowing me to carry our research in this field of chemistry
The Culture
There were over 20 students on the site, a lot more than most companies, meaning plenty of people of a similar age to socialise with.
The cost of living was reasonable, with rents around £250 for the month, however, this is near Derby city centre which is quite a way from the site (a good 20 minutes drive and unaccessible using public transport- good to bare this in mind if you don't drive!)
Nightlife in derby is similar to that of any small city. For a 'better' night out, Nottingham and Birmingham are only 40 minutes away on the train.
The sports and social club provided many opportunities for othr activities, such as climbing, volleyball, badminton, white water rafting, clay pigeon shooting...
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
East Midlands
May 2013
