Student Engineer Review

I enjoyed my placement immensely. I learnt a lot throughout and I had the opportunity to work with amazing engineers. I have worked onsite before so it was nice entering a job knowing a little of how it worked. It was not as enjoyable as previous placements however because I often worked on my own. I had previously only used a total station with another engineer so to use it on my own with a remote was a different experience.

I felt valued by my colleagues a lot as I often did the less desirable jobs they did not want to do. I tested the majority of the concrete and made lots of cubes. This is a very important job and is very time consuming. Once I left, the other engineers will have to do it again, eating into the time they could be setting out.

My supervisor was very supportive throughout my placement. He made an effort to meet with me often to discuss my competencies and how I was getting on with the job. He was also set up meetings for me with other members of the office so I could learn about their jobs which was fantastic.

The amount of work I had each day varied depending on what was happening and if any engineers were on holiday. Initially I was a direct replacement for another engineer so I had many responsibilities and little time for breaks. However once he returned my job changed and was only very busy on days we ordered a lot of concrete.

I had a lot of responsibiltiy during my placement, however it was my third with Laing O'Rourke so this was something I was happy to have. I tested all the concrete, checked much of the rebar and helped with putting up twin walls; all important quality assurances. However I had to work for this responsibility and I hope after university when I work full time I will be able to earn more responsibility over time.

I learn very different skills at university and working on site. I have not found they overlap very much at all, however since my goal is to work onsite after university this job will help me develop skills for that. I learnt how precast concrete is installed and the ways it must be checked which I will be able to bring forward onto future jobs.

The atmosphere in my office was relaxed and fairly informal which was lovely. However the majority of the workforce were men so i did not feel very included in the discussion and jokes, not having similar areas of interest to them. Unfortunately this is the same across engineering. That being said the men were very kind and welcoming, and tried to ensure I was included.

The internship was well organised. The core six weeks were communicated early in the year allowing me to plan my summer. I was lucky enough that the dates I requested were possible for the company. However I would like to learn the location of work earlier, allowing more time to organise accommodation and travel.

The company, Laing O'Rourke, invested in my training by giving me competencies to work through which was very helpful for my future career development. They also invested in me by paying for travel to the welcome and presentation events which helped me network with my peers, something which I enjoyed immensely.

I am very lucky to be paired with Laing O'Rourke throughout university and I hope to have a place on the Graduate training scheme after I leave. The work during the summer has been a fantastic opportunity to see what I will be doing once I work for Laing O'Rourke and also a chance for them to see if I will be good for the company.