Engineering Industrial Placement – Reactor Systems Review

I really enjoyed my time with EDF. The one thing that struck me in the first few weeks was how friendly, patient and helpful everyone was. The graduates invited me and the other IP's to their Whatsap group and we'd often go to the cinema/bowling/comedy clubs.

I instantly felt like on of the team. I was added to the daily brief rota and expected to read it out when it was my week just like the most senior members of my group. I was always welcome to input in discussions despite the lack of technical knowledge. In my second week my line manager asked me to join him in a very senior meeting which included the Station Director and the Plant Manager.

My line manager and the rest of my group were very supportive. Always happy to help and give advice whenever I needed it. My group were invested in my development, keen for me to get exposure to as much of the station as possible.

To begin with I wasn't very busy but gradually that changed as I became more proficient with the systems I was working with. I realised early on that the amount of work you do is very much determined by the individual. Despite progress being slow on certain projects there is no end of new ones that can be started in the mean time.

As far as responsibility is concerned I was given free reign on projects that benefited the company operationally. Equally if not completed these projects wouldn't effect the power output or risk nuclear safety. This suited me as I wouldn't have been comfortable in the knowledge that a mistake could have huge consequences.

My softer skills have developed greatly during my time at EDF. This was always the ultimate aim of my placement as I know how imperative these skills are to success at university and in industry.

The atmosphere was great, people always had enough time to chat if you needed help with something. Everyone was very welcoming, I got asked if i wanted to join the office football team in the first week.

My line manager had weekly progress meetings with me to go through what I had done in the past week and discuss anything I needed support with. He arranged for me to spend two weeks every couple of months in another department in order to increase my exposure during my placement.

There were lots of different training courses we could go to for free. EDF also offered to pay £300 (£150 each calender year) towards a course of your choice outside of the company such as learning a language etc.

You learn a lot of what the graduates learn during the graduates scheme so it definitely leaves you in good stead in that regard. If you apply for the graduate scheme you also bypass the tests/interviews you did to get on the industrial placement so only need to do the assessment centre.

There was a Whatsap gorup where we'd organise to go to the cinema/bowling/comedy club/pub quiz at least once a week.

I was at Torness so decided to live in Edinburgh (30 miles away) rather than Dunbar (6 miles away) and Berwick (25 miles away) as I wanted to live in a big city. I lived in Newington which was £495 a month, although Dunbar or Berwick would have been cheaper. Socialising was easy as most the other IP's and Grad's lived in Edinburgh.

Loads of great bars within walking distance.

Endless in Edinburgh.