This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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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
The internship was very enjoyable. I was given several interesting projects in a range of areas. I looked forward to coming to work each day.
I felt very valued by colleagues. The projects I worked on were real tasks that needed doing, therefore any contributions were appreciated. I was regularly thanked for my contributions.
Help and support were excellent when required. Everyone I spoke to was very approachable and able to solve any problems quickly.
I was given plenty of work to keep me busy for the full working day, everyday. There was no major downtime throughout the placement. I did not feel stressed about not finishing the required work in time.
I was given responsibility to deliver a few projects working with other interns during my placement. We were left to carry out the projects as desired, however help was available if required.
I feel that my knowledge in several technical areas was greatly improved but taking this placement. The skills will be useful both at university and in future jobs.
The Company
The office had a great working atmosphere. There were plenty of fun things happening and interesting people to talk to.
The placement was very well organised. IT equipment and an office were waiting for me when I started. Minimal time was lost to paperwork and admin tasks.
Since it was a summer placement there was not much time for any externally run training. I did however learn a lot from on the job training. When required I was sent on an internally run training course. In a longer placement I am confident that DSTL offer excellent training opportunities.
Flexi Time
Sports and Social Club
Subsidised/Company Gym
Employment prospects look good, I was offered sponsorship for my final year at university and a guaranteed interview for a graduate job.
The Culture
There was a reasonable social scene, however it was a little hard to meet the other interns in different departments.
I lived in Petts Wood which in in Zone 5 in London. Rent including bills was around £400 a month, however this was with a live in landlord. Socialising costs were quite high due to the proximity to London.
The local night life was pretty poor, however it was easy to get to central London, and busses ran through the night. As a result overall the nightlife was great.
There were many activities organised for employees including sports clubs and day trips.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
London
October 2013