Verification intern Review

Overall, the placement was relatively enjoyable. The work was interesting and most people were friendly and always offering help and support when necessary (provided they were not too busy). There were many interns during my summer and so there were many social events organised, both by interns and by the company. The location (Cambridge) has a few good places to visit and the nightlife is good (even during non-term time).

I was working on formal verification of the memory built in self-test for a safety critical real-time processor. Since this class of processor is safety orientated, the verification is highly important. This means my work was highly valued and any bugs found were treated with most interest and sincerity. Most other interns were also given real work which is useful for the company, so overall the interns were highly valued.

I had one direct manager who managed the high level aspects of my internship. For example, they would determine the overall direction of my project and assign my goals and targets. I had one technical manager who I would sit closer to me than the main manager (in the same room). They would directly help me with my project and provide all technical support and guidance. I was also assigned a buddy with whom I could ask more general questions, for example about the dress code. Overall, everyone was happy to help with both technical and non-technical questions.

I had a project to work on during my full 11 weeks, and if I finished any work early, then the project would be adapted accordingly such that it last the full 11 weeks. However, the project was based on formal verification. This means I spent quite some time waiting for simulation results. Overall, around 30% of the time I was just waiting for results. It would have been better if I had multiple projects to work on in parallel so I could use time more efficiently and not be waiting on something to finish.

The atmosphere was relaxed and casual. There was no formal dress code, although everyone mostly worse smart casual with the few exceptions. It is mostly quiet with occasional discussions mostly regarding work. These usually occur when an important bug or issue is discovered and needs discussion to solve and/or plan for. People are free to talk about non-work events as well, but this is rarer since everyone is considerate of not wanting to disturb others. In summary, the atmosphere is relaxed and informal and friendly, whilst also professional.

The placement was highly organised. I was given a flexible project designed to be useful to the company whilst allowing me to learn and develop. It was flexible in the sense that it could be extended or reduced based on my productivity. In this sense it was highly organised. Many events and presentations were also organised for us to get to know other divisions and projects. There were also intern networking events deigned to help us fit in quickly and build networks so we can support each other.

I received no formal or structured training; all training was on-the-job and informal. However, I was provided with technical support by a colleague assigned to me by my manager. They were close by and could help regularly throughout the day with any technical question. If they didn’t know how to help, then they could direct me to someone who could. Furthermore, I was provided with useful reading materials which supplemented my project.

There were over fifty interns based in Cambridge. This meant that there was always a social event to go to after work. Additionally, the company actually sponsored some social events, for example, a punting event in the Cambridge river. There was also a firm wide summer barbeque which was fun and useful for building up professional networks. Occasionally, the employees would also organise some fun events such as cycling races.

I was based in the Cambridge site which is relatively expensive in terms of rent. However, it is possible to live outside of Cambridge in cheaper areas and cycle or drive to work. The compensation provided is reasonable but not the best considering the cost of Cambridge. The cost of socialising is cheaper than London with lower alcohol prices and club admissions. However, there are also fewer places to visit so overall it is not that enjoyable.

Cambridge is surprisingly busy, even in the summer holidays when most students are away from campus. This is because there are many tourists and some postgraduate students also remain. Therefore the nightlife is still busy and buzzing with life. The main disadvantage is the choice of bars or clubs to go to. Since Cambridge is small, the choice is limited and it can get boring fast. A summer placement of around 10 weeks is the perfect length to fully explore all places Cambridge has to offer.

Some activities outside of work were organised and promoted by the company. For example, there was a summer barbeque. There was also a cycling fundraising event. Some events were specifically targeted to interns. For example, there was a charity event which involved the interns volunteering to wash cars In order to raise money for charity. We were not specifically made aware of any sports societies or clubs. However, there was a fitness club (not run by the company).