Geoscience Intern Review

The whole internship programme at BP is very well structured which made the whole experience far more enjoyable. The work itself was also fun as you are doing work which really matters to the team you are working in. Alongside the work, the programme also has extra social aspects too which really added to the experience and made it even more enjoyable.

Since you are doing work that is ultimately going to help your team, they really value you and the work you are producing. My colleagues regularly checked in on me and were interested to hear about my work. Everyone is extremely supportive and will go out of their way to help you.

My supervisors were extremely supportive and made sure I was always focussed on the task at hand. They were always happy to answer any questions I had in regards to my technical work, internship admin bits etc. The only reason for 7 stars is that unfortunately my supervisor moved teams during my internship so she was not in the same building as me which made day-to-day communication of my work a little less easy.

The intensity of works really varies depending on what is happening within your team or which part of the internship you are in. To begin with things were relatively slow as I was setting up all my computers etc., however, during times of big team meetings/presentations I was more busy as I was prepping for them. The work rarely became "too much".

I was given a big responsibility during my placement. The team trusted me to do important jobs, but made sure that I was on track with what I was doing to make sure things didn't go too awry. I was given the responsibility to present on important topics in team meetings and even lead some of the sections that I'd been working closely on.

The skills I developed were highly technical and relevant to the oil and gas industry therefore they were of little use to my degree studies. Despite this, the skills I've learnt in terms of presentation skills, time management, people skills and office etiquette have been invaluable for me. If I were to work in an energy company in the future both the technical and non-technical skills I've learnt will be a huge help!

Extremely friendly environment in my office and generally across the campus. Everyone you meet wants to help you out in any way they can and lots of people have a genuine interest in the work you are doing. The team was extremely welcoming and I felt like I fit in straight away. We also had team meals/cinema trips etc. which definitely helped with team bonding!

Apart from the aforementioned problem with my supervisor switching teams, the whole organisation of the placement was incredible. The graduate resourcing team are available whenever you need them and kept us informed about the process the whole way through. The work itself was also very organised as I was given a week-by-week summary of what I should hope to achieve during the 11 week placement.

The company and the people who work for it make sure that you are constantly learning new things and developing new skills. There are a whole host of workshops, volunteering opportunities, wider function events to attend to teach you more about the company and your own discipline. There is no limit to the number of training sessions you can attend!

I would absolutely love to work for BP in the future as I have seen the vibe of the company and the work they do - and I love both. I find the working environment extremely appealing and I appreciate how much they invest in their employees. The work is cutting-edge and exciting. I also appreciate the work/life balance promoted by the company.

Fantastic social scene amongst all the interns. The company helped with organising some social events (e.g. BP graduate ball, rounders, social with Canary Wharf interns etc.) but we mainly found ourselves organising things to do with each other. Everyone made the most of being in London in the summer so we grouped together and went to Wimbledon, Notting Hill Carnival and lots of nights out etc.!

Living in London is expensive and going out in London is even more expensive! However, you do get paid for the internship so this helps towards the costs of socialising. Also, many of the BP organised events are subsidised or paid for which helped in some cases. Also the cost of travel can be expensive as the Sunbury base is out of central London so travelling in can be difficult.

You probably can't beat London in terms of the things to do! We had loads of different kind of nights out as an intern cohort from house parties, balls, pubs, bars, carnival etc etc. The list is endless and London nightlife is definitely one of the best in the country.

In terms of activities outside of work - there are many many opportunities both within the company and outside it. There were many events held within BP that were not necessarily related to our projects, as well as the BP socials etc. We also had a mandatory Charity Challenge day where we helped out in a local park.