This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
-
The Role
-
The Company
-
The Culture
- 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
A very enjoyable placement year in which I learnt a lot of skills not taught during my course. There were some issues during the year but as the placement scheme was in its' 1st year the company was keen to understand our requirements and change and improve to help us as best they could.
Having no previous experience of working in the process industry I was not sure what to expect. I was given help whenever I needed it and the experienced members of the company were happy to spend time with me to help me understand the processes and make me feel a valued member of the mill.
I was given lots of teaching during my placement and my supervisors were happy to run through issues I had and help me where ever possible.
I was kept busy all the time. The work load depended on what was happening in the mill. At times I was very busy and other time less busy, but I did not feel at any point bored.
I was given responsibility where appropriate. As an undergraduate I was not fully trained, however, I was given my own project, deadlines and tasks to do and once I was up to speed with the processes in the mill I became an important member of the Quality, Process and Projects departments.
Returning to university to finish my degree highlighted how much benefit my placement gave me. I was able to see problems and make decisions on engineering problems with more conviction than many of my course mates who had no industrial experience.
The Company
There was a lot of work taking place in the office and around the mill, at times the atmosphere was quite tense and stressful. However, everyone managed to take time to have a break and a laugh. After starting my placement I was quickly given the nickname "Student" by the engineers I worked with, and this stuck with me the year, spreading through the mill as far up as the mill manager!
The placement was in its 1st year when I was there, however it was very well run and I was given a lot of support during my time there.
I was given a lot of opportunities during my placement. I was taught new methods of working and given training in both the way the company worked and the processes they used as well as going on training courses for various things.
Subsidised Canteen
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Healthcare from home
The Culture
There was little in the way of social events in the local area and the cost of living was quite high due to the proximity to London. There are a number of good rugby clubs though, and many of these also include hockey, cricket and football teams.
There are a number of good pubs and it is only 45 minutes to London by train
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Engineering
Scotland
October 2009