Trainee Engineer Review

Extremely enjoyable experience with very hospitable staff, i was able to work away and experience a new region while learning new skills. I was supported by a great team of people that were genially interested in helping.

A proper role and tasks that assist colleagues resulted in a feeling of being part of the team.

Guidance was available when required, however i found graduate colleagues to be of most use as they have more time available to answer questions.

Work remained largely dependant on site activities and fluctuated daily. However i visited site more than once daily so no day was wasted, office based work between site checks was initially limited but the amount of work increased substantially towards the end of the placement as colleagues gained trust in my work.

Limited responsibility in actual checks on work with reasonable responsibility in setting out. Responsibility again increased during the duration of my placement

The experience i have gained will be invaluable in my future career. I can relate many aspects that are occurring in the practical side of construction in terms of lectures to my placement. I have gained confidence and will often take a more significant role in leadership compared to a year ago.

Good relaxed atmosphere

The placement location itself was well organised, there was limited organisation during the first few days but this soon improved once i had been reassigned to a different section.

I attended many toolbox talks and meetings during the placement together with mentoring from a senior engineer and graduate engineer. This enhanced my development, however i was unable to attend any training courses during the placement

Extremely appealing due to the range of work undertaken and the reputation the company has for quality and for investing in staff when compared to other similar companies.

Limited social scene due to long working hours and travelling distance together with the vast majority of colleagues returning home for the weekend. However i did attend a curry / pub night and narrowly missed out on the main works social including a cricket match

Relatively high costs due to the placement being located in a rural area. This limited choice. The cost of food ect is similar to most places due to supermarkets and multiple pubs, however the cost of train travel to the nearest station was particularly high due to the need to change lines in york.

Multiple pubs & clubs open to late

Site hours and colleagues returning home for the weekend again limited this aspect. Some colleagues did however go rock climbing and others took part in a weekly football match at the local sports centre. I utilised my weekends away through day trips to many towns such as york where there are endless activities to take part in.