Hardware Engineering Intern Review

I have greatly enjoyed my time with Eaton working as part of the life safety division. My year has been very engaging, I have learned a great deal about both my subject (electronic engineering) and about how an engineering business operates. Throughout the year I have been involved with various projects and activities while receiving training in the form of on the job training and by attending various training days organised by the Eaton internship program. There has not been a single day where I did not want to come into work, I enjoy my role and the work that I do, I would very much like to return to a similar role after finishing my degree at university.

Working as part of a research and development team I have felt incredibly valued, very early on I felt welcomed in the R&D team. My site is full of friendly and enthusiastic people who have gone out of their way throughout the year to make sure that I am happy and comfortable with my role. Nearing the end of my internship, many of my colleagues now rely on me for help with various tasks and subjects, particularly with the projects that I have managed. I now feel like a valued and useful member of my team who contributes towards a fantastic and growing product line.

My manger and my mentor have been very supportive throughout my internship, giving me freedom to manage myself and my projects while also being available to provide support and advice at very short notice. As well as on going support in the workplace I also attended quarterly performance reviews where I was both praised for my work and offered advice on what steps to take to further my development. Overall I have been very happy with the support and guidance that I have received from my manager, my mentor and in the internship management team.

I have been extremely busy during my internship, managing 3 projects while contributing to many more, I have also been exposed to the business outside of my role in research and development, working with other departments such as marketing and operations. Every single week of my internship has been different, allowing me to develop knowledge and skills that I simply would not have gained in the university environment.

I was given the role of project manager for 3 separate projects at my site, responsible for the overall progress, managing stakeholders and the project team to ensure gate criteria is prepared as part of the Pro-Launch project management process. I also contributed to several other projects as part of the research and development, these projects often had tight deadlines and involved some learning on my part. Overall the responsibility I was given was very beneficial for my development as a young engineer, I have become adjusted to having responsibilities and the stress that can come with it.

My internship has allowed me to development myself both professionally and personally. Regarding my professional development, I have gained a great deal of experience in my field of electronics simply by working alongside industry professionals. This experience is something and I could not have gained at university, it has allowed me to view by subject differently and approach learning differently. Regarding my personal development, working within a professional environment with real responsibility has changed the way I network and communicate, it has also changed my outlook on my education and my future career aspirations.

Being a part of the research and development team, my office environment was often quiet, allowing myself and my colleagues the freedom to think about or work and solve issues without distraction. There is a feeling of intense concentration during work hours, however my colleagues are also very friendly and approachable, willing and available to answer questions relating to the various on going projects.

My internship was very well organised, with frequent review sessions, training events at various sites and a summary at the end to celebrate highlights and successes. My internship program manager was available over email at any time to answer any questions or provide support both with my role within Eaton and my role on the internship program. I was informed of training sessions and events weeks in advance and I was constantly kept in the loop regarding news and the progress of my internship.

The internship program invests heavily in its candidates, providing you with monthly training events that focus around key business skills such as communication, assertiveness and project management. As well as on the internship program, I also received a great deal of training from my colleagues that was role dependant, I was also given the opportunity to attend paid training courses relating to my job area and visit various other sites and firms, allowing me to development my knowledge and experience.

Eaton is a very large company that is involved in many different industry sectors, many of which are prospering and growing. This gives you an incentive on your internship to work as hard as you can to try and become a part of this movement. There are plenty of interesting sites that focus on interesting subjects based all around the world, you begin to realise the scope of possibilities when you see how big Eaton is.

Yes, as a group of interns we remained in communication throughout the program and frequently met to socialize at training events.

I commuted for the duration of my internship, keeping my living costs to a minimum.

Unable to comment, I commuted to my site on a daily basis.

There was the offer of a health and wellness program that I took part of, engaging in sporting activities such as football and rounder's on an almost weekly basis.