Health, Safety, Quality & Environment Internship Review

I will definitely say it has been one of the most enjoyable work experiences I have had in a long while. I have had huge exposure to different departments within the business as well as contact with key external stakeholders. I have developed significant transferable skills during this short period and it can only serve me well in my future career. My professionalism at the work place has taken a new shape and I can confidently say that I' m a better person in terms of commitment, work ethics, teamwork etc. now than when I started 10 months ago.

I have had the pleasure of working with some of the most extraordinary people I have ever come across in my life. I started as a novice but right from the onset I was made to feel at home with my input and suggestions highly valued. I have worked with different teams and traveled across different sites during the course of my placement, and everyone I met has been fantastic and supportive one way or the other. I think one of the unique features about Siemens is it big family orientation. There is always someone ready to give you a helping hand whenever the need be. To complement this I was assigned a linked tutor from my University whom I could always contact for support and assistance. I was visited once by him to check on how my placement was progressing.

There has been a cordial relationship between myself and my manager with clear understanding of my developmental needs. I have received mentoring from different managers within the business. Despite their busy schedules, they have been very approachable and always willing to attend to my needs.

This could be described as mixed bag with some days busier than others. I would say though I was fully engaged on a daily basis due to the project oriented nature of my work. What really worked for me was my ability to prioritize my workload meaning that I avoided putting any unnecessary on myself.

The scope of my responsibilities were clearly set and agreed with my line manager with ongoing weekly reviews of progress and identification of any needed support. I had the joy of handling some key projects and initiatives within the business. These responsibilities far exceeded my expectations which ultimately improved my confidence and motivation levels. I could not have asked for more in terms of depth and breadth of my responsibilities. Some of these projects are still ongoing within the business and it’s so encouraging knowing that I have one way or the other been a contributor to such projects.

Although I was not new to the working environment, I did undoubtedly amass some key job specific and technical skills which will stay with me for life. The nature of my role has given me a huge boost in multitasking and managing my time effectively. My placement role was directly relevant to my degree. I was also able to scope for my research topic which is directly relevant to the organization at present and is also linked to my degree. What more can I say about the development of soft skills. My presentation skills and the ability to communicate at all levels are just few examples I can highlight.

The atmosphere in the office was Relaxed, calm, and less intimidating. People took delight in their daily work and at the same time had the time to socialize and take care of each other. Siemens philosophy of " No matter how important the customer, No matter how big the project, No matter how tight the deadline…..We do not compromise on safety" has really helped in calming people down and make then relax in challenging times.

The placement was very well organised and my line manager was more proactive in keeping me in place all the time. As the first ever intern within the department, although there was no handover period for me, my line manager was impressive in taken his time to explain things to me and how the department function which allowed me to understand my role a bit more better. He always spent time planning my timetable amongst other things and tried to make sure I had something to do. The planning incorporated variety of different activities with some activities outside of work to facilitate my understanding of how the business operates.

Training during the course of the placement year was mixed with some been technical and other focusing on health, safety and well-being. This was great as majority of the course were relevant to my role and gave me better understanding of how my role fits into the wider organization. The Siemens Internship Development Program which consisted of a couple of training events around the year was another useful source of developmental avenue. It enhanced networking with other fellow interns from different business units as well as promoting the development of business acumen and other soft skills

I think taking Siemens as a company; it is fair to say that there would be a scope for everyone regardless of background. There is a growing demand for younger workforce within the business unit I had my placement due to the aging workforce. So to sum up, I think future employment prospects looks promising especially in the engineering field

Definitely yes as the placement year brought different interns together in what was termed " intern only events". There were fun times of meeting other people from different business units and exchange ideas and have fun. There as also Siemens Social Network community group for interns only where we could chat and exchange ideas.

The cost of living was and is till average for midlands. I was lucky to secure a placement close to where I live and only took me few minutes to commute to work every day. There was no need for any further expenses as relocation or moving house was not necessary. My commuting was also not restricted as I had my own car and could travel from my town to other cities for shopping or day out with friends and family.

Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to experienced night out in the area where I worked as I did commute from somewhere else. Overall, I can only argue for my area which although is a small town has a lot to offer. Further, I was privileged to have spent most evenings in different parts of the country with varying experiences. Fantastic in that regard as such exposure comes in handy.

As part of the Internship Program, we were required to complete a minimum of 5 CSR activities. I was involved in organizing a career event for a local college as a STEM Ambassador. I also took part in Skills for London event and other local level events with the aim of promoting interest in STEM subjects most especially engineering