Mechanical Engineer Review

I really enjoyed the varied nature of my role. I had the opportunity to work in all the different sections, and this cemented my understanding of the work done in Schlumberger. As a mechanical intern, I worked on areas such as design, and assisted in assembly of products, and also worked on testing and qualification, so the role was more varied than I expected.

I felt like a valuable part of the team. Whenever I needed help with different aspects of my work, my colleagues were more than happy to schedule a meeting with me and go through things in order to broaden my knowledge in the area that I was working in. My colleagues were also very approachable and the work atmosphere was very friendly and encouraging. I also got invited to different socials with my colleagues which was good fun.

I was given a project plan in my first week, which stated the different tasks I was expected to complete, the deliverables, and resources to help me complete each task. I had a project kick-off meeting with the team to discuss the plan and objectives, so it was very clear from the beginning what was expected of me, the purpose of the work I was to do and how it fit in to the grand scheme of things. I then had weekly meetings with my buddy to look at my achievements each week, and then presented to the managers on a monthly basis. So I felt there was enough guidance to help we work, but also enough room for me to be challenged and work independently.

For the first 3 weeks I was not very busy and felt like I did not have enough to do, but as time progressed and I had finished all my initial trainings, I had more to do.

I was pleasantly surprised at the level of responsibility I was given as an intern. The work I was doing was relevant and cutting edge and I felt like an ordinary member of the workforce. Of course I still had to get certain things checked by my buddy before progressing, but I would say that I had a fair bit of responsibility.

I developed a lot of transferable skills, mainly presentation skills and writing reports. Having carried out an entire project in a short period of time (3 months), taught me how to work quickly and this will be very useful during my final year at university as I'll have many projects to do. In terms of technical knowledge, most of it was very much tied to the operations of the organisation so I wouldn't say it will necessarily help in my studies.

Again, the atmosphere was casual and friendly, but also hard-working and determined. Most people showed up early and left late, but we would have lunch together or have a chat in the coffee rooms at breaks, talk about sports as we worked etc. Generally quite relaxed, I didn't feel that it was tense or anything.

The internship was well structured, with several induction and training events in the beginning, and then doing the main bit of the work, and finally I had to give a final presentation to senior figures in the organisation and have an exit interview. The only downside is that the initial trainings took a while and were a bit tedious as they were mostly computer based, but in terms of structure, it was well done and I managed to get everything they had set for me done by the week that I was leaving.

It was very evident that they take the training and personal development of interns seriously because they would obviously like as many to come back for permanent positions. Early on in the internship, I was given presentations by my buddy and other team members. These presentations were like ‘mini lectures’ to inform me about the company, the centre, as well as teach me the engineering theory behind what I was doing. I really valued these as they allowed me to learn very quickly about what the centre does, and they made me feel that the company really was investing its time and resources in me. Having regular meetings and having to present my findings was also a great way of them letting me improve my communication skills

Based on the internship, this is an organisation that i would be keen to work for if given the position. I really enjoyed working for them and I have submitted an application for a graduate job and just waiting to hear back.

All of us interns got to know each other from day one and we regularly organised socials and weekend events together, be it going bowling, going to the pub etc. We also hung out at lunch times. The company also had a big Interns Day where we got to meet all the interns from other centres of the organisation, which was great fun. I've made lifelong friendships with some of the interns which is great.

Cost of living was reasonable as the company was located in a village/industrial park and so housing wasn't all too expensive. As for things to do in the area, there wasn't really much to do at all, and so most of my colleagues opted to live in a city such as Bristol or Cheltenham and then commute to work. So it depends on where you lived. if you lived close to work, social life was pretty much non-existent in the area, but if you commuted from a busier place, then you had more to do in your free time.

As mentioned, the organisation was located in an industrial park sot of area and so there were only a few pubs and nothing more.

Yes, the organisation had an employees club which organised many events which were subsidised for. So there were many random events such as a trip to legoland, a jewellery-making class and lots of other things. They also had a fun-day at work which consisted of an afternoon off of work to take part in loads of sporting activities and other games held on the campus.