Mobile Developer IP Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year here. My team welcomed me straight away and I got on well with all of them, as well as everyone else in the company. It's also great that you're not the only intern there and you can all hang out together and help each other out.

Everyone was so welcoming in my team and in general. As it is a medium sized company, you get to know everyone in the company and they are all welcoming and friendly and all enjoy quick chats while you're making the tea round! I got on with all of my members of my team very quickly. You also don't get just the little bitty bits of work to do, you do the pieces of work that actually contributes to the end product so I feel very valued in the team.

All members of my team were willing to help me out as soon as I started, and they still do. There is an IP crossover, where when you start, the IP before you is finishing their contract, and they are there to help you get acquainted with everything. But other than the IP, my managers and everyone else in my team were willing to give me any support I needed, whether it was personal or professional.

In my team (and majority of others) we do scrum. Which means we have 2 weeks (a "sprint") to do our agreed work. When I first started and getting a hang of the ropes I didn't join in on this, but after a month when they felt I was ready, I did. So you're constantly doing work, you are never left with nothing to do. But as long as your time management skills are good, you won't be rushing to complete work within the time limit.

All work that you do, goes to the customer, so you have a lot of responsibility as soon as you start. When I first started and familiarising myself with the system, I was doing small pieces of work but they were still going out to the customers. The pieces of work you do has the potential to break other aspects of the system and they do not mind giving that to an IP at all.

I was not only taught how to program, but the best ways to do so. When it comes to performance and just code standards in general. That will help me massively in my career. The only thing that this team lacks, which other teams don't, is accreditations. Other IPs in other teams got the benefit of being able to complete AWS exams - in which they are now certified. But there wasn't anything like that for me.

There has not been a day in the office where I have not laughed. Everyone is so friendly and are all up for having a laugh and making work an enjoyable experience. I enjoyed going to work because even though I knew I would have a lot of work to do some days, I knew I'd have fun doing it.

The placement was well organised, in the first week you have lots of meetings with various people giving you the information you need and welcoming you to the company. There is an IP crossover and so you are helped with the specifics of your placement straight away. The company have been organising placements for over a decade so they know what they are doing!

I didn't get offered any certifications like the IPs in other teams, where they got AWS training and exams fully paid for. They are now finishing their placements with certifications that makes them look even better to future employers. However, I wasn't offered that or anything similar. So the training I got improved my programming skills and that will help me greatly in my future.

If the company, and your manager, are happy with your progress and ability you will offered a job on the assumption that you will graduate. There is no reason not to go back and I am definitely considering coming back after I graduate.

I got on well with the other interns, and we spent the majority of our free time, as well as at lunch, hanging out together.There were also work nights out that involved other members of the company that I didn't normally cross paths with so I wouldn't have got the opportunity to talk to them.

Newbury is a very expensive area to live in, and half our pay check goes straight on rent. However, there are other places you can live, like Reading. Reading is a student area and so you can find student accommodation which is a lot cheaper - it will just mean you have to commute. There are pubs, bars and clubs in Newbury, a lot in the town but also near work too - everything you need!

There are pubs, bars and clubs in Newbury, a lot in the town but also near work too - everything you need! As there is not a university in Newbury, the nightlife will obviously be worse than what you are used to. However, Reading which is a 30/45 min journey has everything to accommodate a student's expectations of clubbing if that's what you're after!

There are monthly work nights out organised where people across all departments of the company will come out for drinks. There is also weekly or fortnightly pub lunches on a Friday with all members of your team. Go Karting was organised a couple of times too, as well as bowling.