Product Development Engineer Review

Excellent place to work. If possible I'll be returning when I graduate.

Integrated fully into the team. Many colleagues in my extended 3M network didn't even realise I was on placement.

Supervisors all the way up the ladder (even up to the technical director of 3M UK) very approachable and helpful. 3M also has a talent program that you complete whilst on placement regardless of your field. Including volunteering work and other useful life skills. In my field I also had access to learning material such as "I Get It" to help improve software skills such as 3D modelling.

Broken in easy at the start of the year, but as I was integrated into many on-going projects it didn't take long before I was full steam ahead. So very busy.

Given responsibility to make real decisions and progress many projects. Something I loved here was that I wasn't marked on performance based on a checklist or deadlines. I was given projects and judged on the quality of the outcome. The network potential is excellent here, and by about 3 months in the line supervisor didn't even need to hand me jobs as the network I'd built up was providing me with ample work.

My engineering drawing and modelling skills are 100% better than when I started, and I got a first in a 10 credit 3D modelling module at university. Something that really helped was unlimited access to 3D printers that really help make rapid improvements to design and you learn a lot quickly. For people that feel daunted by 3D modelling or don't have much experience previously the "I Get It" courses are excellent on nearly every 3D modelling software out there. From the most basic functions to more advanced stuff than I've ever needed.

Very chilled out. Pleasant building, happy employees, good facilities including a Starbucks, a Gym, and an above average canteen (more of a restaurant really). My placement was in Bracknell which is 3M UK&I Headquarters so its where they bring all the customers for tours and shows. Every week the marketing departments had some kind of event on keeping the place lively.

Some might feel it wasn't well organised in respect to how university is organised. However, its never felt unorganised. I didn't have an official improvement plan in place, or told to go on any courses. In the beginning I was shown what was available in regards to self improvement opportunities, and it was up to me to use them or not. The talent program is one exception, in that its a non-optional universal "course" that runs throughout the year that puts you in a group with other placement students from many fields, and you organise a 3M gives (charitable) project. It was certainly a very enjoyable experience and I'm sure will help my employability in the future.

I was given unlimited access to the training materials I've already mentioned. Furthermore, I was given task specific training as needed. For example I travelled to Derby to complete a training course in a metrology software, I was able to organise a training visit from a motor PLC company to teach me programmable motor control. In short, if the job needed specific skills that I didn't have they weren't shy about paying for me to be trained. They weren't stingy with time either, allowing me plenty of time to learn new skills.

I'll certainly apply here first when I graduate. I've discussed the options with my manager who is more than happy for me to return. However there are no promises made by either myself or the company. They would like me to return but warn that they might not have a vacancy when I graduate, also they're understanding that in time interests change, and I might take an opportunity somewhere else. So in short, prospects look good, but not certain.

Very good. I wasn't as involved as I could have been but they organised many nights out in Reading, pub crawls and things like that. 3M didn't take much interest in the personal lives of the students as a group, but we got plenty of opportunity to work with each other in the talent program so socialising was easily organised between us. Thanks to the flexible time at 3M we sometimes extended lunch breaks and went to the pub together and so on.

Nothing against 3M here, but Berkshire is an expensive county. From food and drink out to renting a flat, its certainly not cheap. My wages were higher than many of my mates on other placements because of this, but not high enough to really cover it. The only thing this did limit was my social time. I had enough to share a 2 bed flat and I lived on more than pot noodles so my living was ok, but this is the primary reason I wasn't involved as much in the social scene as I could have been. My recommendation is to live in a house share in Reading where the university students are plenty and so are the house shares. Its an easy commute on the train and 3M organised a free minibus service between the office and the station in Bracknell.

Bracknell was rubbish. Mostly locals in pubs till 11pm then home for bed. But as I said earlier its cheap and easy to hop on the train to Reading, which is a bustling student town and the nightlife there is much better. If you live in Reading then even easier. They have multiple night clubs, and the restaurants in the Oracle on the river side are really nice. 3M gives employees the ability to give each other small bonuses for going the extra mile, they call them star awards and value at £25. If you get a few together, you can cover a meal for 2 and you can redeem the awards as restaurant vouchers. Of which nearly all the restaurants in the Oracle accept.

3M has many social groups such as football teams and tennis courts and so on. But other than that I couldn't really afford much outside of work. Buy a PlayStation, you'll be needing it. That said, if you have some money saved for your placement there is loads to do. There is an indoor water centre in Bracknell with slides and so on, the sports centre do all sorts of interesting things such as bubble football, as well as regular stuff. The town has most of the shops you'd expect but Reading definitely does if not, cinemas and bowling too. Bracknell town is currently under regeneration and it aims to finish in 2017, and the plans look really nice. If you can afford it there is plenty to keep you entertained. One other comment I'd make is that everything is quite spread out. Either get fit on a bicycle, or you'll be catching the bus. Unless you have a car then you'll be fine.