Product Development Technician Review

Very good placement and I was never 'bored'. I continuously learnt new things throughout the year which was great. Work I did throughout the placement was always valued and I was constantly given credit for my work. Overall, would I still apply to 3M if I went back 12 months? Definitely, without hesitating.

On the very first day I was introduced to everyone on site. Everyone was friendly and would always stop to have a chat on passing. This helped me ease into the environment. In addition to this, I never felt as though I was second best or just a student. I have become confident as colleagues always trusted I was capable of carrying out tasks and so I was given responsibilities which made great contributions to projects.

During the start of my placement I agreed with my supervisor on personal skills I would like to develop. Throughout the year I have been encouraged to meet my target which has ultimately helped me to grow as a person. My supervisor has actively been a part of my placement as we arrange weekly meetings where I run through work I have done and future work I can do. I had a very friendly supervisor who I felt as though I could confidently voice any problems to if I had any. I can find no faults in my supervisors methods of supporting a placement student.

The projects I had been a part of were of high priority, so each task would have a short deadline. To me this was perfect as I prefer to be constantly active rather than waiting for work. The tasks made the day pass very quick that it would surprise me it was time to already go home. That in itself should reflect the positive energy I had towards meeting deadlines and doing each task because I was always appreciated and never felt undervalued! If there were quieter periods I would tend to use the extra time to work on innovating, using 3M's 15% culture time.

Immense amounts, in a positive way! When I first started I was surprised how the work and results I had gathered were being used during team meetings. I was not given trivial tasks, but rather vital tasks another colleague would be doing if not me. As a few weeks progressed I began to no longer doubt my own capability or ask to have my work looked over. So with the responsibilities I did develop on my own and the one thing I had noticeably learnt was to become intuitive. Prior to this I did not have a tendency to think clearly outside the box, now I can independently manage myself whilst naturally being aware of the impact certain things would have if I used certain methods compared to another. I was never left to twiddle my thumb or doubt if I was being trusted to do things. I would go as far to say I felt as the boss of my own tasks, and I was always asked what I would do next. Because I was making a real contribution to the project I was always told things like 'you are now an expert in this' or 'you know best, what should we do'. I can't fault my experience.

Whilst at 3M I have learnt to use my own initiative to think of better ways of understanding scientific data. From this I have become more aware of analytical techniques available and how I can exploit its functionality to help me during my work. Prior to this I was rather tunnelled and assumed an analytical technique was limited to certain areas. Now I know you can use different techniques to aid you. The main lesson being you won't know if it can help unless it you try it. I will use this thinking during my final year at University, as I will be doing a research project where I will have to work independently. Prior 3M I would doubt my practical laboratory capability and I felt as tough I lacked enough knowledge to setup my own experiments. Now that I have a years worth of practical experience I feel confident to conduct my own experiments during University and even though I may lack the knowledge I need to be successful, I now know how I can utilise resources around me to help me. I have learnt and improved on many soft skills, the most important one being communicating effectively. This was one of my personal targets set when I started my placement. I had been given the chance to present during team meetings, tasked to setup meetings with new people, arrange independent studies to be done between myself and 3Mers at other sites. By doing these I was constantly being given the opportunity to improve. I definitely have and this will really help me during oral examinations at University and also being able to communicate with the wider department at University. The list could go on... I don't feel as though I have missed out on any development opportunity. There were also courses offered to develop in areas such as improving presentation skills, improving productivity. Everything I have learnt I will use.

Very good atmosphere. I would say my colleagues all had a different character which was great. It was a lively place to be and full of very capable people. Help was always there if I needed it, I was never lost and always had someone around who could help with a problem. Everyone was very humble and offered advice on what they would do differently if they were their younger selves again. Although many people were working on different projects the office felt like one big team in the sense that majority of us would always have lunch together, plan social events. Many people bounced off of one another when sharing ideas, and I never felt there was any 'office politics'. Very friendly people, I've gained several friends whom I will keep in touch with.

When I had started my supervisor created a rough 90-day plan to give me an idea of what I would be doing. Although I did not necessarily follow this plan (due to the nature of the work), I always knew what I was doing. It was well structured. Throughout the year I was left to be part of my own team and always knew how things were progressing from team meetings. I was also part of a programme which included all 3M placement students in the UK. So it was nice to see how we all were doing at various points throughout the year. HR was in contact with each of us and also half way into our placement to ensure we were okay or whether we were facing any problems. Overall, very structured, you can tell 3M has been taking on placement students for a while, as they know what they are doing.

When applying to 3M I was interviewing to be an industrial placement student. When I started 3M I was instantly a 3Mer, not just a student. So I would say it was also in 3M's best interest to maximise my capability as an employee. I had developed technical and personal skills throughout daily tasks, but importantly courses run by external firms were available to all employees as well as me. So, I took part in several courses such as Delivering impactful presentations and how to be a productivity ninja. Everything I have learnt from these courses will definitely be transferrable. The programme which included all UK placement students allowed us to pick areas we would like to develop in. A key area we as a team chose was personal branding and networking. Although this did not necessarily benefit 3M in terms of our contribution to project work, they gave us advice on how we should network and improve the way we give first impressions. In effect 3M helped to show us how we could increase our employability after graduating. I was also given the opportunity to become a STEM ambassador, which I now am and I have also participated in a 3M STEM event. I plan on holding onto this title and conducting future STEM events.

I would say for a development role there does not seem to be a straight forward route to apply nor an impression that they hope to employ more people. But despite this after graduating I will definitely turn to 3M to see whether anything is available. There are a few schemes such as the O2 which does seem interesting, but I really enjoyed the area I worked in and so, the O2 setup does not appeal to me as much as applying for a specific job. Would I consider working for 3M? Yes. Is there a clear position opening you could apply for? Nothing yet, but like any company things change with time.

Because of the year long student programme we had several opportunities to socialise with the other students. When we would meet up for a 3M event we would always have a meal together in the evenings and plan our own social events. After leaving 3M we do plan on keeping in touch and planning future gatherings. Amongst colleagues yes it was simple to plan an event. With the entire office we would typically have a meal if it was for a retirement or an event. Planning social events outside of work with more than a couple people was a struggle, but understandable as each person has their own plans. Nonetheless, a few of us would meet up on weekends to hang out or enjoy a short meal after work.

Relatively cheap, although the 3M location was in a small town. Despite this a short drive is all it would take to reach a more city like setting. When we would socialise it would be at least 20 minutes away from the 3M site, so not just a walk away. But this has never been a problem as a group event means splitting the bill, which somewhat makes everything cheaper. Living costs are relatively cheap too.

It is a small town so there isn't a large amount to do. There are more than a few pubs around which is quite nice, and these are also close to a few independent restaurants. I would say a short drive would be required as a means of finding entertainment. Although you may not necessarily know what is close and available to you, the people at 3M know the area and majority do live at least 30 minutes away, so they are happy to point you in the right direction.

There is a sports and social list that is constantly updated at 3M. Also there was room for suggestions on social events, so as a wider group you could take part in family events or take a trip to a golf course. Because I had been distance learning University modules whilst working a full time job, I did not actively seek out activities or clubs to join. However, the area was full of keen runners and cyclists so that was always an opportunity to get involved.