Nuclear Science and Engineering Industrial Placement Review

I have really enjoyed my placement with EDF Energy at Sizewell B. Everyone is really friendly and will spend time explaining things so you can learn what is going on. They will get you onto the in house training courses you need and would like to be on. I often had small projects assigned to me to look into problems or support other work the group is doing. The working environment was relaxed and friendly.

Right from the first day I wasn't made to feel like a placement student (I was never asked to make a cup of tea!). I was involved with lots of projects going on within the group and as time when by and my experience grew I was trusted with more responsibility. I was sent to meetings on occasion to represent the group and report back. I always felt welcome to ask questions and they would take the time to explain despite the level of the intelligence of the question sometimes!

I had a mentor assigned to me before I had even arrived. He would keep an eye on me, provide guidance on where I should direct my attention, answer my mountain of questions and apply some pressure on occasion to keep me engaged and meeting deadlines etc. The group head would make time for me whenever he could to explain things or tell an interesting story (he has been in the industry for many years). I had a couple of more formal meetings with him to track my progress and my work life balance.

It would come in waves. Sometimes I would be really busy with a project as well as routine work and I would have to think which days I will complete the tasks to meet the deadlines. The work load increase as my experience increased ie the second half of the year I always had something I could be getting on with. There were time when I had very little to do, to which I would read up on the plant (it is so complex there is always something to learn about it or go look at) or I would ask someone in the group and they would offer some work or something to look into.

As the weeks went by I went on training courses and shadowed different members of the group. This enabled me to do more jobs. I was expected to be paying attention too as I would be asked to complete the task I had just observed. Once sufficiently mentored I completed routine work the group does, it was really satisfying of see my name on documents which would be submitted or issued for use. I was sent to meetings on behalf of the group and even to explain the findings of my work.

I studies Nuclear Physics and university so the experiences I had at EDF Energy have been extremely relevant. Providing me with hands on, real world experience to the knowledge I already had and greatly expanding my understanding.

It was a really relaxed atmosphere. The group sit together in the same room and should you need help or have a question you can just head over to someone’s desk and ask away. If they were busy they would say a time that would be convenient for them to chat with them. It's a quite office but can have some general discussions going on whether work related or not. The group head sits next door and has an open door policy, really approachable.

Overall it was very well organised. There are links to Industrial placement central people who will answer questions quite quickly. The department is used to company of industrial placement students and have a program set out for the first few weeks to get to know the members of the group and discuss various areas of physic they cover. It would have been nice to have been introduced to the other industrial placements on site from the offset but we bumped into each other eventually.

I was quite surprised how much training and development I was given! I was given whatever I needed and some that I/they just thought was interesting and relevant. The department is flexible and while I stayed in the same department I could have easily set up a few weeks in other department should I have desired it and I know other Industrial placement students did.

There are people on station who have had there whole careers in the nuclear industry through various companies the nuclear industry has been under. Many of the people who join in the last 10 years have been through industrial placements, apprenticeships and graduates scheme etc. There is a real sense that once you have been with the company, they like you and you perform well, they want to keep you and continue your development.

I kept myself to myself a little but should you be really out going you will meet lots of people and soon find people to socialise with. Our department did a couple of social events outside of work which were really fun. There are currently 3 industrial placement on site and we would chat away when ever was saw each other.

I came from Birmingham/Nottingham and felt the price hike! Although should you be coming from the south or London I imagine it would be fairly reasonable. Essentially the closer to work you live the more expensive it is. But then if you live further away you are going to add in travel expenses, so really it evens out. I opted to live close and cycle to work its flat quite roads with plenty of road options, so quite pleasant. You really do need a car to live around here though that’s for sure! Most sizable towns, in fact everything, is about an hour away.

Mostly local pubs etc. It's the countryside so it’s quite, I live by the sea so love the walks in the evenings. I like the quite so really enjoy the night life! The sky is really clear at night without the city lights. If you are looking for a buzzing night life then you will need to find a city. Norwich is the best option but its quiet far. Ipswich isn’t too bad either but again you will need to drive, the trains/buses are not terribly frequent.

It's the country life. Summer is full of fairs, fates, carnivals and music festivals. There are always signs up on the side of the roads advertising the next thing going on. There are gyms, pools and lots of golf doted around! There are some lovely sea side towns Aldeburgh and Southwold being particularly pleasant. Beccles and Woodbridge are nice market towns. Winter is quieter as the holiday homes empty and people don’t visit there second homes.