Digital Risk & Security Summer Intern Review

It was an extremely fulfilling internship, with a welcoming atmosphere and relaxed working atmosphere. There were many opportunities to explore not only the immediate department, but also the wider business, including a number of visits to sites across the UK. As the first office experience I have really had, National Grid was the perfect place to get me started.

As part of my objective to explore the entire department I was in, I needed to spend time with a number of colleagues across many different roles. Once I was settled in, securing time with everyone became much easier, and everyone was happy to put some time aside so that I could understand what their role was like. Most members were extremely easy to get along with throughout the internship, whereas others took a bit of time to get to know. However, by the end of the internship I felt like just another member of the team.

As a novice in the area I was posted, I had to grasp a learn a lot of new things and understand some difficult concepts. In this area, I was given great support and the teaching was fantastic. I had multiple team members that I could approach for general placement problems as well, so there was always someone I could talk to.

For much of the experience, the work assigned was challenging and interesting. My overarching objective was also of good value to the company. However, there were times that the work given to me became stale quite quickly, and there were days where the work I had was not enough. It was difficult to find other pieces of work to get me through the day at times, and this was when they felt the longest.

The work I was given will hopefully be used in the future, however it was not at all essential to the functioning of the company. In that sense, the responsibility I was given was quite limited, however if they use my work for the intended purpose, then it will naturally carry a lot of responsibility.

The work I have done here has given me experience in a completely new area, which has opened up opportunities for me I never thought I'd have. In addition to this, they were keen on training us in areas of personal development, as well as technical. This will be hugely beneficial for my last year of university, and any future job roles I may have.

The atmosphere in the office was great. The Warwick office itself is very light and colourful, often hosting small charity stalls or cake sales etc. It has a good work ethic, but at the same time maintains a relaxed and comfortable environment to work in. There are specific areas designed for collaboration and relaxing, as well as drink stations, stationary/printing stations placed throughout the office.

The placement was well organised from the start. Even the assessment day to get it was well thought out, creating a relaxed environment and offering a meal and accommodation the night before so that we could perform as well as possible on the day. From the HR point of view this was well planned out, although sometimes it felt like my placement manager was a little less organised. At the start, the objectives were clear and stimulating, but became a little stale in the middle when he was trying to think of something better for me to do. Overall, a well organised though.

National Grid invested heavily in personal development. The first three days were spent at their specialised training academy, which we also went back to at the end. Whilst there, we spent a lot of time on our personal development and how we could get the most out of the experience.

Very appealing. They have shown that they care about their graduates, and it is clear that they will invest a lot of time and money into them. Based on this, the salary, and the many other perks involved in working with the company, their graduate scheme is an extremely appealing option.

There was, although it was sometimes difficult for the interns because there was such a small number of us living there, which meant that there were often dull weekends when they were away. There was some effort made by other students/graduates placed there for the year, but not entirely involving. There were opportunities to get involved in other ways, for example joining one of the sports teams and joining there socials. This could be an issue, depending on the group of interns that are given the placement, but wasn't too much of one for me.

Quite expensive. Leamington Spa is the place to live if you are posted in Warwick. It is a nice town, with some activity. However, this comes with high rental prices and often expensive drinks. Having said that, I have heard options a lot cheaper than I chose (£440 a month) although I could not find them, and also cheaper places to drink, e.g. Wetherspoons.

There are plenty of nice pubs in Leamington, so finding a place to drink in the day is no problem. However, the Nightlife itself is not amazing. There are a few bars and nightclubs to go to, but the choice is fairly limited and likely to be less than that of the average university town/city.

Yes, there are a whole host of activities posted on their noticeboard. this includes an array of sporting clubs, as well as other social events. The area itself also has many interesting places to go and activites to do, from Warwick Castle to frisbee golf! It is also likely that you will have a few team meals, paid for by the company.