Industrial Placement Student Review

Very much enjoyed the placement, and the work was very interesting. The only downside was the working hours, which felt very long at 40/week, however it did give an insight into working in an office in the real world. Throughout the placement the work was new, and I got to work with lots of different people on a wide variety of projects.

I felt very well valued by colleagues, and they all made sure that my contributions to projects were noted and seemed very pleased with the work I was putting out. Outside of working hours I was welcomed at the pub every week, and even after finishing my placement they were happy to see me around town, and catch up over drinks.

At all times when I needed help with some work someone would make time to help me out and explain a certain concept or to show me a specific method. On many occasions I learnt new skills from colleagues including proper referencing and research techniques. Whenever I was given a new piece of work, my part in it was clearly explained and it was made sure that I understood how to complete the task at hand.

Most days were fairly busy, however I was not stressed by the workload. At times during the placement, I found myself finishing work on a project much quicker than expected, or that the supply of new work wasn't quick enough, and so found myself with not much to do, however I managed to use this time to learn through reading and researching relevant information, and further my personal skillset.

I was given large amounts of responsibility during the placement, and found myself writing large amounts of reports on some major projects, and my work was heavily used in those projects. I was given a fairly large amount of autonomy, which allowed myself to prioritise the work I felt most important myself.

The skills I learnt while on placement have already helped me greatly in my degree studies. I learnt a lot about how to research and properly reference documents, as well as improving skills such as note-taking in a meeting/lecture environment and in the field, both of which have helped me at university.

The atmosphere was mostly very subdued and quiet, with not much talking or chatting. This was good in that it encouraged good workflow, and concentration, however it was at times a bit uninteresting. Everyone was friendly with each other however, and I got along well with everyone. There was plenty of talk going on in the tea-room/kitchen, and always someone to talk to if you wanted.

The placement was definitely well organised by the time I started, and because of the way the company handled it I was essentially treated as a new full-time employee, meaning I was given a full induction and everything was made to allow me to adjust to working in an office. Before I started however, the process felt slightly informal, and contact between the company and myself was initially by phone, and then email.

The company allowed me full access to all of their personal training materials, and a lot of time was spent by colleagues teaching me new skills and information that I would use on projects, but also in later life. They also included me in a short weekend away trip they took to Wales, which involved some training in various methods of the job.

I felt valued during the placement and it was made very clear the different routes I could take into employment through the company in future. I wasn't offered a job directly, however I was given advice on what I could do to secure a job with the company when I become more qualified.

There was plenty of meeting up in the pub after work every week, and watching the rugby with colleagues. There weren't many other placement students, and they all lived fairly far away so I didn't get much of a chance to socialise with them, however all were welcoming at all events.

Living costs in Epsom are very high, as the housing prices have shot up recently. The local pubs were also quite expensive, with some costing up to £4.50 a pint. I found that I was spending quite a lot of money every week just on going out after work, and rent was expensive.

Nightlife was ok, however the scene is mostly pubs rather than clubs, and so nights tended to end earlier and there weren't any opportunities to go clubbing. I didn't really know anyone in the local area that I didn't know from work, so pub outings were the main time for socialising.

I was included in many out of work activities including a field trip weekend away to Wales, and a team building session one evening after work. I was also invited to many different lectures in London and elsewhere, and the company actually paid for the travel to and from these events, despite there being no obligation to.