This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
I really enjoyed my placement as I was treated as a real engineer, given the opportunities to work on real projects with large implications. I was also given the opportunities to learn and expand my knowledge, which meant many projects were dynamic and evolved over time, compared to being given set tasks for the entirety of my placement.
I felt extremely valued to the point I felt I was considered part of the team, and I had colleagues coming to me for help and advice. furthermore, I was actively included in many areas.
My manager was always happy and made time to help me with issues and answer any questions I raised.
Busy enough to keep the day going quickly, however this can easily tip over into being too busy due to the ever growing amount of tasks required. Fortunately, my manager was very understanding and was expected me to prioritize certain tasks over others.
That of a normal engineer (Though people are still aware that I am an intern, so it is not expected of me to take full responsibility). Essentially projects were my own and I was given the task to complete the work necessary to fulfill them on my own, however I always had support if needed.
I received training from Siemens which not only helped with the job, but also meant I could put them on my CV and take them elsewhere in the future. Furthermore, the requirement to effectively prioritize and keep on top of work meant that I had developed the skills to help with my studies at university upon return.
The Company
The office had a very relaxed atmosphere, meaning colleagues were very friendly and often having casual conversations. However, there was still an air of professionalism that meant work got done, and work discussions took priority over personal discussions.
Well enough that all my important details were ready (bank/payroll info etc) and nearly everything was sorted upon arrival (IT devices etc) however a lot of access requests and waiting on things did happen (like ID badge) (But that's more of an issue with new starters, not the internship organization itself).
On my previous year placement at Siemens I did have a lot of training invested. Furthermore, I was given a small bit of monetary support to aid in my studies when back at University.
Flexi Time
Sports and Social Club
Subsidised/Company Gym
Above 25 days holiday
Secured a job with Siemens Magnet Technology.
The Culture
Extremely large social scene due to the recent intake of graduates and the large amount of regular interns/placement students.
Unfortunately Oxfordshire is one of the most expensive areas in the country so renting is very high. Luckily due to the number of placement students/interns its quite easy to set up housing arrangements prior to starting to help with costs.
Not sure - I ended up living at home and commuting, but I've been told its good?
There are lots of activities/groups organized by Siemens employees for outside of work at all times of the year.
Details
Internship (1 Month+)
South East
August 2018