Undergraduate Trainee - Steering Wheels & Tyres Review

Things were a little slow off the mark to begin with, but once I became involved with more projects I really started to enjoy myself. The work was varied and interesting, with a wide range of different tasks both in and out of the office from CAE through to component testing. I developed new skills and improved existing ones, while gaining an insight into the inner workings of a large engineering firm. While the company as a whole is very large, working as part of a smaller team was extremely rewarding, especially when I could see that the work I was doing was genuinely useful and beneficial to the company.

Everyone I worked with seemed happy to listen and give advice on any issues I had encountered. I felt that my opinion was valued and considered equally, with my input often having an effect on influencing the outcome or direction of a discussion. The whole company atmosphere was extremely friendly, and it was easy to contact and find those who I hadn't worked with before. JLR's "Neighbourhood Charter' helps to make sure that this should be the same for anyone working here.

My manager was nearby in the office, and regularly popped over to see how I was getting on, checking if I needed any assistance or support. He was very approachable, and took the time to listen to my own personal goals, setting projects and work that would appeal to my interests. I also had a separate supervisor who was assisting me in one of my roles - not only did he make learning the new processes straightforward and enjoyable, but was extremely willing to offer his experience on almost any topic, really making me feel like part of the team.

Save for a few days towards the beginning of the placement, before I was fully involved in all of my projects, I had plenty of work to keep me busy. Rarely was I left without something to be getting on with, but neither did I feel under immense pressure to deliver everything at once - the quantity and pace of work was very well balanced. The projects were engaging and involving, and I enjoyed the challenge of understanding the new concepts I was working with. As the placement progressed, I felt that the work I was doing was truly useful and worth my effort, making the end result all the more rewarding.

I believe I was given a reasonable level of responsibility, left in charge of organising and processing my own testing at one point. I was involved updating and creating various CAE models relied upon across several departments within JLR. It was important that these were produced correctly, and after having got the hang of the procedures with the first couple, I was handed the responsibility of ensuring this.

I have not yet had chance to put all of the newly developed skills in to practice, but I foresee that some of them will be very useful. I have had the opportunity to utilise some of the theoretical knowledge I'd picked up over my past few years of my degree, and see how it could be applied to a real world engineering problem. This helped to put my degree work into context and view future problems in a different light. I also developed as part of a team, improving my communication skills and working efficiency, witnessing effective usage of my colleagues different strengths. Above all, I feel that the biggest lesson I learned was that sacrificing a little extra time for a return in improved quality is definitely worth the extra effort.

The environment was friendly, and there was a good level of casual chatter to be found while on breaks or moving between meetings. While working, it was easy to concentrate, as it was free from excessive noise and felt very focused. Sometimes the office felt a bit empty, particularly on Fridays where a number of people appeared to work from home, but in general the atmosphere was enjoyable.

Overall it was organised very well, with plenty of communication beforehand, including from my manager, letting me know what I should expect to be working on. There was a comprehensive induction day, which involved various networking activities alongside an introduction to the company, its history and the important protocols and procedures. In terms of the work itself, I was initially given a general project area that I'd be working in, and told that I'd be helping out with several existing projects. Unfortunately, some of these were quite slow burning, so there wasn't a lot of work to begin with. However, after speaking to my manager I was able to get involved with more demanding tasks. I feel it would have been improved if there had been a project that I could have got my teeth stuck into right from the get go.

I was involved in various team building tasks, including an offsite activity where we were helping out in the local community. The CAE team in my department also invested their time to train me in various aspects of modelling that I would need to use. There was also a wide range of online courses available, which, coupled with the "Employee Learning Scheme" offered huge scope for personal development and learning new skills.

I would certainly consider coming back and working for JLR again. As a 3 month summer intern, I am likely to be offered a place on the graduate scheme, subject only to my managers approval. The graduate scheme looks interesting, and involves moving between different departments and functions, trying various different roles within the organisation, not only broadening your skill set, but allowing you to make a more informed decision about the direction in which you want to take your career. This is one of the biggest attractions of coming back to work for JLR.

As a summer student, I was offered the opportunity of living in Coventry University owned accommodation in Coventry. Many of the other students took up this offer, and as a result it was perfect for socialising and making new friends, much like living in student halls at uni. In my flat, we all got on really well, going out, lift sharing and even cooking together, which worked out really well.

The accommodation was well priced, and included all bills. It was ideally suited for many of the JLR locations, with the furthest being about a 25 minute drive away. While this led to an increased cost of commuting, it was easy to lift share to spread the cost and was more than offset by the value for money and social scene of living in Coventry University halls. Shopping and going out could all be done at a very reasonable price, and was no more expensive than anywhere else in the country.

There were plenty of pubs to meet up in, grab a drink and watch some sport near to where I was living. The prices weren't too bad, and there was lots of choice for where to go. I don't tend to go clubbing, and as far as I could tell there weren't many clubs about, though a group of interns went out every Friday without fail.

There were lots of clubs and activities, from photography and bird watching through to karting and developing a car for an e-racing series. These were available for everyone to come along and be involved in, with as little or as much commitment as you wanted to give. There was also the "Employee Learning Scheme", which provides funding towards a learning activity of your choice. The list of possible activities is almost endless, and the funding could be put towards anything, from advanced driver training to cookery classes - there really was something for everyone.