Undergraduate Engineer Review

The environment in the office is brilliant and the people you work with have a really good attitude towards work but also willing to give you advice and help whenever needed. This made the work and work load very much more enjoyable as I knew i wasn't far away for a friendly face.

I felt as the year went the more I was valued to my colleagues, they started coming to me for help and advice as the work i was doing was more exposed to the team. I like the fact I had to earn their respect before being asked to do work for them as it made it worth more when it came around.

I was given objective by my manager and the training on all the equipment required to do my job at the beginning. I was then really left to my own devices to find my own way around the place. My manager was always around but always so busy so catching him sometimes at the beginning would be a struggle. I think had its benefits as its helped my develop and show how I can get a job done without my guidance. I like the act my manager could give me a problem and id solve it without any other input.

The best way I can describe this, is there is always something that needs doing, someone that needs your help, things that you can plan in advance that you want to go and see within the company. So day to day life here at BAT for me is very busy that's why standing organised is key to being successful in this job

I think the responsibility given to me as a student was the right amount but for me as a person I would of like a bit more input/responsibility in the overall project instead I got asked to do a lot of work initially and then not involved in it after.

I feel over this year I have developed my personal/soft skills immensely which in my degree sometimes misses out on or doesn't spend a lot of time developing. My engineering abilities/skills on the other hand i don't think they have been challenged enough but I appreciate what new skills i have developed and I know that I will use them.

The office is open plan with helps give a good atmosphere during the day, people are always around going off to meeting and coming back sharing work. I've never felt alone in the office which for me is really important. The layout and the people make it really easy to approach people and have discuss on work and get any people inputs.

I think the placement is organised really well, the training at the beginning of the placement where over a six week period reducing the amount of training as the weeks went on to help us ease into the work and our surrounding. The projects given to me was planned in advance which gave me a purpose straight away and something to get on and do this helped with the settling period so much.

The training at the beginning of the year is the peak of the amount of time they put into our development. Over the year they have slotted in a course of statistics to help us understand better ways in presenting the data generated and knowing its value. I think they invest enough into us throughout the year but I would of hoped to have a little bit more on management training.

I think it is high, there are many previous placement students that are currently being employed by the company which is positive. I think if you put in the work in the placement and show they your willingness to work hard and push yourself with everything you do they are more likely to employ you after.

I have been very lucky this year as all the other placement students are brilliant, as a group with my all jelled very well. this helps with the social scene as we are constantly finding new things to do in and around Southampton. It also helps us keep a good balance between work life and home life as without each other we would be very bored

Southampton in a student town with two university which helps with the week day drinking prices but unfortunately there is very limited amount of things to do in southampton that is why you have to look around southampton to find things to do during the day. I don't think the town is that expensive but there are areas i would suggest for students not to live in just because of ease and surroundings.

The nightlife is good being a student town, there is always an event to go to or a drinks deal to have. There are many different places to go depending on what you are into. Student clubs and bars, lots of restaurants, more sophisticated bars down by the docks and water front. Everything is catered for you just have to find the place for you.

They have a good sports and social event page with gets you cheaper tickets to events in and around southampton which is really good, but apart from that there aren't very many outside work events that can go to. christmas party, quiz nights, occasional casual drinks. The boys have football tournaments but I've not got involved with much outside work activities