Health and Safety Engineer Review

The first six months (Sept - Feb) of my placement I didn't enjoy much as I didn't get much 'hands on' experience and was often told I needed to stay where I was to relay information to any relevant people and fill in the admin side of different things. When I did ask to get involved, each time I was told I could do and I would be told if anything was happening for me to get involved with, however, I never received anything and only knew about things when it had already been dealt with. The second half of my placement (Feb - Present), I am beginning to enjoy my placement much more, a team member takes me with him to everything he gets involved with (regardless of significance) and explains to me in detail any questions I have about the job. My confidence has massively been improved with approaching different scenarios and different people and my knowledge of the job has tripled since February.

I did not feel valued as part of the team in my first half of the placement, I was often compared to my predecessor and often felt as though I was unable to do the job as I was told "my predecessor did it a different way which was better." However, again since February I have felt valued, I am now regularly thanked for the job I'm doing and thanked for helping out making me feel more valued.

I have been given a little guidance and support but often at times in my placement I have needed a little more and haven't received it, even when I have asked.

I was beginning to get to the point where I was doing so little away from my computer, that when I was asked to go somewhere on plant, I didn't want to as I was dragging out the little admin jobs I had been given. Now I am around site more often, when I am back at my desk I am able to spend a reasonable amount of projects and can organise myself with regards to meetings and other requests around site.

I haven't been given much responsibility and I have often been left either to my own devices or to shadow a member of the team. I have been given small projects, but all of them I have had to ask for approval before going ahead. I always have to propose an idea rather than just implementing straight away.

In terms of my job, I think I have gained many skills which will only come apparent when I begin another job upon graduation. With Health and Safety becoming bigger and bigger, I will be able to apply some of my knowledge in the future even I choose not to follow my degree path in engineering. I have gained many personal skills which I know will help me out whilst in my third year at university and in future interviews. Being in Health and Safety I have had to conduct Safety induction in front of many people (sometimes 40 at a time) and to many different languages. This has helped me with my presentation skills, but also my communication skills. I am able to approach different people and communicate (language barriers).

The atmosphere in my office is great! Not only do I have my team, there are other departments who have all been supportive, friendly, and just generally good to be around. I have made many friends, who I would like to keep in contact with once I leave Vauxhall. There is no divide between departments and everyone (regardless of position) speaks to one another and supports where they can.

Certain aspects of the placement were organised very well, but others no so much.

I haven't had much time invested in me for my personal training. I have been on one training course (ergonomics) but have never actually put what I have learnt into practice.

I would come back to Vauxhall as I enjoy the atmosphere, but only in a different job role/department. Maybe in more of an engineering role (i.e. maintenance or planning).

We had a couple of nights out all together which were good. The UGs often kept themselves to small friendship groups rather than socialising as a whole.

Cost of living has been quite low for myself, I moved in with another UG to half the costs. We currently live around 10 miles from work with takes around 20 minutes in a car. In terms of socialising there is Liverpool just across the Mersey and Chester in the opposite direction.

The closest nightlife to where we work is Chester which is around 20 minutes drive from work.

There are many activities to get involved with (non work related) around the area. However, Vauxhall doesn't openly offer UG to get involved with activities.