Projects intern Review

My internship with Siemens was hugely beneficial to me not only on a professional level but also regarding skill development. Having studied Business with Marketing Management at University I was slightly daunted with entering an engineering industry however, there are always jobs to do that require general business skills. I was given an internal project which involved implementing new modifications to 130 Gas Turbines located all over the world. This was a great experience to develop my communication skills globally and it was also quite an eye opener in terms of how practical business differs from the textbooks at University. All in all, I was given considerable ownership of my work and independence which enabled me to develop significantly which has given me greater confidence to do well in my final year at uni and apply for a graduate scheme.

When I first started placement, I wasn't too sure what to get involved in and I think it was difficult for the project managers to pitch some work at the right level for me to complete. However, as the year went on, I became more confident to ask for work to do not only in Project Management but also for the Installation & Commissioning department. I spent most of my time assisting my colleagues with new projects however, I was also given the opportunity to develop my own projects. I created a whole new Website for new starters into the business to visit to assist them with their integration into Siemens. I was rewarded with a champions award (kind of like a financial bonus) for this site which was great in terms of my colleagues praising my work and giving recognition.

Although I was given projects to work on independently, I was supported all the way not only from my supervisor in Projects but also engineers in Technology & Innovation (TI). I kept my manager on copy of most of my correspondence to Project Managers globally partly for supervision for him to see that my message was getting across but also it meant the feedback I received during my appraisal/ reviews could be accurate and relevant. I felt like the support was always there if I needed it but also the projects I were given would be up to me to complete meaning I had to use my own initiative to get things done.

This would vary and not only daily but also weekly. This placement can be as busy as you want it to be. If you show initiative and you are capable of completing work with a solid understanding of the objective then you will gain more from the placement. Coming into industry from University, you should want to learn and grow your skill set. Keeping busy but also organized is an essential part of a placement. My time management and work ethic have both improved from this placement which I think is hugely valuable for when I return to University.

Lots. Some projects were solely down to me to complete whereas others, I was simply assisting my colleagues. At the end of the day, you are responsible for your own work and ensuring you make the most out of the opportunity to learn and produce good quality work with attention to detail so responsibility is up to you. You can gain as much support as you feel necessary and the more you develop into the role, the less support you will need. Responsibility is given in different forms for example, I was given the responsibility to work independently to achieve results on one project and in contrast, I was sent on a plane to Poland to deliver parts to a site.

Siemens is unquestionably one of the best multinational companies to get the opportunity to work for. The strong emphasis on training, taking ownership and personal development will have a significant impact on my work ethic when returning to University. This placement has made me into a more practical, organized and efficient individual which has really prepared me for what permanent employment is like. It has made me realize what I have to do and work on to improve for the future but also given a good insight to what my strengths are. I have secured myself a new job back with the university when I return and I know for sure that I secured this as a result of the experiences gained from this placement.

Positive, driven, efficient and supportive. We are all sat in an open plan office and there was a great balance between having a chat, discussing project issues together and working independently. People were always happy to help and offer support and this extended not only for just our office but the whole business. Sometime harder when talking to individuals half way around the world, but generally, everyone was working towards the same objective - being able to provide the customer with the best products & services.

I think the actually organization of the placement was quite poor. As soon as you start work, you are added onto the "intern Development Program" which in my opinion was pretty useless. This was made up of 4 modules which were; 1) virtual induction 2) Team building 3) Presentation Skills 4) Career Planning. The majority of these were a waste of time or simply placed at the wrong time of the year. There seemed to be a lack of structure and most of the progress tracking was down to me to bring up with my managers rather than them. However, because this was my opinion, I chose to act on it to see if improvements could be made. I created a website within the Siemens intranet site which is readily available for all new Entry Level Talent employees to access. The website includes training links, basic information about the business, product information, etc. In addition to the site, I created a two handbooks to guide people into their placements and to enable them to create a mini portfolio of what they have done throughout the year to take this away.

I was given the opportunity to participate in lots of different training experiences and the company must have put significant investment into this. From Zero-Harm training, team building, APM management workshops to introduction to SGT Gas turbines courses and web based training, the opportunities to learn were always encouraged. All of this training comes with certificates and enabled me to improve the work I was completing.

All interns are encouraged to apply for the Siemens Graduate scheme. I will be looking to apply for the graduate scheme potentially internationally rather than at the same site in Lincoln and on the website I have created, all options for post placement employment are explained in more detail. the benefit of working in such a large multinational company, is that if you impress in your role, there are numerous opportunities available to you.

As I am originally from Lincoln, I spent the majority of my time outside work with other friends. To be honest, most of my colleagues have families and therefore I never really went out of my way to ask them for a night out or anything. I don't see why there couldn't be a good social scene if you wanted to make the effort, but for me I wasn't too bothered about the social scene.

There isn't a particularly great nightlife in Lincoln. There is about 3 main clubs (Home, Circle & Lola Lo) and a few bars but it isn't anything like a big city. If you get involved in a sports team or some form of society, then you'll have a good time wherever you go. I personally enjoy bar crawls starting in the Bailgate area then heading down into town.