Integration and Test Industrial Trainee Review

From start to finish, I've thoroughly enjoyed my industrial placement, both on an academic and personal level. I feel that I've gained a large number of new computing skills, whether that be learning a new programming language or manipulating databases, they will all in some way contribute to my career in science and engineering.

On every project I've worked on and with every different team, I've always felt relied upon and valued by both my colleagues and by management. This stems from the fact that the role I entered is a reoccurring one which always get's filled; all of my colleagues were also happy to help or teach me anything new if the situation arose.

My manager has always been very enthusiastic about my placement and has always tried his best to secure new opportunities for me around the business. He's also been very understanding on personal and business related issues and I've felt like he is easy to talk to. Occasionally, management were slow to get back to me, but otherwise I can't complain.

The amount of work I had depended on what project I was part of and how big that project meant to the business. Most days I had a good amount of work to complete but on some days, I had none. This was due to budgets and schedules and I do understand that this can't be helped. However, a small, background project would have been good to pick up on the side if work did go quiet.

I was really happy with the amount of responsibility I was given, even though it wasn't in a leading role. As I don't have any experience in a major work-place, I think that if I was given more leadership responsibility, I would of found it a lot more stressful and not so easy to gain as much experience. I was also given enough responsibility that I felted needed and not just the "inexperienced, naïve intern".

Studying Physics, all of the new computing skills I've picked up over the last year will undoubtedly go into use in one of my laboratory experiments. It also has provided me with a new outlook on my future career and a number of soft skills that will of course help me through the rest of life. These include great teamwork, time management and project management.

The general atmosphere is a happy one and the majority of people were welcoming and supportive throughout the duration of my placement. Even though there is a large split of permanent/contract staff, on initial judgement, you wouldn't know the difference between the two. I made some good friends that I hope to stay in contact with for a long time to come.

Although I had a great time, the initial 2-3 weeks felt disjointed as there was no set program to follow. However, I was paired with a contract member of staff who taught me everything I needed to know. I couldn't of asked for a more genuine or supportive mentor and Lockheed Martin should take their hats off to him. As for the rest of the placement, when I had work then it was amazing. I've seen 3 projects progress while being here but have also seen a number of weeks between each one where I had nothing to do. As I've said previously, some extra side-work for these times would be a much better use of my time.

The company were excellent at offering me personal training and development. I have a subscription to SafariBooks, which has been a great help for both technical knowledge and for my university reports. They have also offered to pay for me to carry out an ISTQB Certification, which is a fantastic opportunity.

From my experience, Lockheed Martin treat their employees extremely well and are very loyal to people that want to do well with them. As I've said, everyone at the business has been 100% supportive in all I do and have been more than willing to help me in their own time. I am very interested in returning to Lockheed Martin after university.

Yes there was. All of the interns have stayed in contact throughout the year and we've gone out in Portsmouth a number of times together. We've also become very social with the graduates and apprentices and I have made a number of new friends that I hope to stay in contact with after leaving.

The cost of living and socialising in the area is relatively cheap. Given that there exists a university in Portsmouth, a lot of the facilities are geared up for students in some way and so works really well in conjunction with university placements. In comparison to the University of Surrey, the Portsmouth area is significantly cheaper to live and socialise.

For somebody that doesn't go out much, I think the nightlife is really good. I prefer to go to pubs, rather than clubs and there are hundreds in Portsmouth, all offering a difference scene and vibe. However, if you still want to go to a club there are loads to choose from for whatever you fancy.

Yes, loads. At the start of my placement, I got involved at RIAT, volunteering for Lockheed Martin to talk and inform the general public on what we do and why science, technology and engineering is an excellent career choice. There has also been family fun days, dragon boat racing, STEM visits to schools and other volunteering opportunities. Occasionally, I've been invited to social events at local pubs or venues in recognition of good team performance.