Applications Engineer Review

Overall I have enjoyed the placement. It has provided me with many soft skills for work after I graduate.

The department depends heavily upon interns so it's hard not to feel at least a little valued! Achievements are noticed and rewarded with small incentives. Large enough company to have room to grow, small enough that you can know nearly everybody's name by the end of the year.

A lot of support and guidance is available if you ask for it. There is almost never a time when you need to struggle alone with a problem.

Depends massively. Not too busy at the start of the placement, but at times I felt overwhelmed by the amount of work which was expected or required. There is often an unspoken pressure to complete work which cannot realistically be completed within the working hours, so it is necessary to spend time after work.

Quite-a-lot since as I mentioned previously, the department is predominantly composed of interns. There were opportunities to represent the company at events and by teaching courses.

Mainly 'soft skills'. I have gained a greater ability to handle stress, communicate effectively, work as part of a team and I've also gained a far greater understanding of industry.

Hit and miss. Superficially fun. Ultimately though work has to be done and the atmosphere is conducive to this without requiring suits and ties.

Well organised, National Instruments have been doing this for years and iteratively improve the experience each year.

Highly invested in as an individual. I was given the opportunity for individual and group project work, and also project management. In addition I also received training in all of National Instruments major product groups.

Promotion within the company is largely confined to sales roles, something which was not made apparent to me when I applied for the position. I haven't ruled it out since it is possible with some effort to define your own role or move into systems engineering (field engineering).

There is always something going on at the end of the week if inclined, however I felt with the level of pay and cost/experience ratio of 'going out' in Newbury that it wasn't worth it. I mainly frequented the gym (very nice gym which is subsidised) or did running or cycling at the weekends. Colleagues are mostly all the same age and of the same background so you can make what you want of the social scene.

Rent was very high, I ended up paying around £470 a month with bills for half of a fully-furnished semi-detached house (with no parking). I lived in Newbury though, I have been told that it's cheaper to live in reading although then you would need to factor in 2 hours a day or commuting at £4/day or so with a railcard.

Poor, but it's not something which I moved for.

Enough but nothing too spectacular. There is a yearly race around the town to complete unusual tasks and find unusual objects. (i.e. Find an octogenarian, with proof, with as many team members as possible in the picture) which I found very fun.