IPSD R&D Engineering Placement Review

I found the work very interesting and challenging, I was given plenty of responsibility and had to complete tasks that made a real difference to the company. I was always assigned to work often and if I ever found that I was running low on things to do I could always ask for something new. During my placement I worked on a broad range of tasks ranging from data analysis to hands on experiments with engine components.

From day one you are considered a valuable member of the team and you are treated with respect and as an equal. Colleagues gave me work and accepted the results that I brought them. Within the teams that I worked in during my time at the placement I found there was a great sense of cooperation and togetherness and this made it very easy to fit in and contribute.

I was given a great support by the supervisors that I worked for. I was given regular monthly reviews with the supervisor within my team where I could discuss my current work and any issues that I was having. I also had a bi-monthly review with my placement supervisor to discuss my overall happiness working within the business. I also felt that if I ever needed support outside of these reviews I could go to my supervisors with any issues.

Work load fluctuated regularly during my placement, I found at some points that I had enough work to be doing and was not stressed out. However, as you become an important member of the team you are working for as their workload went up your workload went up accordingly. This meant that at some points there were not enough hours in the day and I had to stay late or come in early, but as the work was interesting I did not find this too much of a hardship.

Within my placement I was given tasks and projects that I could own and was wholly responsible for within a larger project. This allowed me to develop my engineering skills and feel a sense of accomplishment once I had completed them. Although some of the projects could feel quite daunting at first there was a great support network with the team and everyone was willing to help you to get the job done if required.

I have found my placement very useful in developing my skills as an engineer and I believe it has allowed me to be much more prepared for going back to university and my career beyond. I have also been able to take part in some formal training such as the Six Sigma greenbelt training, and the company has a recognised scheme to help engineers on the road to become chartered, which I have joined.

I found the working environment comfortable and relaxed. Flexi time was available so if you had to leave early on one day it was allowed, as long as you made the time up another day and got all of your work done. The dress code was reasonably informal (you did not have to wear a tie) and 'Dress Down Friday' was in place. People were allowed to chat and share ideas and coffee brakes could be taken at any point. The general idea was that as long as the work was done and you looked presentable anything goes, which I enjoyed.

The first week was mostly taken up by training and setting up of computers. The training was aimed at all new starters and I found some of it was not really applicable to the work that I was going to perform. Although I did not have any trouble, others found that they struggled to get on to the work computer systems initially as they had not been properly registered. However, once working within my team and settled I found things ran more smoothly. I had regular meetings with my placement supervisor and they were well equipped to deal with my University requests.

The company runs several training sessions on the engines and machines that they build which I was given access to. I was also able to get on a greenbelt training scheme provided by the company. Presentations are also provided on new innovation within the company and within the industry which I also found very useful. I did find it took some time and requests to be given access to some of the training courses, but once they had been approved they were very informative.

Although I have not been given a graduate position within the company I have been advised that were I to apply, given my placement position I will be considered on my placement performance and this may mean I will not have to attend an assessment centre. If I were to return as a graduate, the company as a whole gives lots of opportunities for advancement across a wide range of roles.

There was a very good dynamic between the placements that I was working with and we were encouraged by the company to interact. The company arranged a group BBQ within the first couple of weeks of our placement and since this time the placements have formed a strong friendship. I would say that my placement has given me some friends for life.

I would consider living within Peterborough is quite cheap for a city. I found a reasonably priced property on the outskirts, sharing with a group of 4 other placements. Socialising can be as cheap or as expensive as required, however I have found that you are able to have a decent experience for a reasonable price.

Peterborough itself is quite limited in terms of nightlife. There is a decent number of pubs offering a range of prices and experiences, but there is a very limited number of nightclubs. However, it is not that long on the train to either Cambridge or London which provide better options for a big night.

There are several clubs to get involved in put on by people who work at the company, such as Football, Basketball and Badminton. There are the usual number of activities to take part in within the city such as the cinema or restaurants and as placements we took full advantage of this.