Undergraduate Engineer Review

Overall my 12-week placement was an enjoyable one because i) I was able to meet and establish new connections with many interns, permanent employees within and outside my team, as well as external stakeholders. ii) it was a good experience to gain an insight into the current technologies and latest issues/ progress within the industry from a major car manufacturer's perspective.

Frankly speaking it depends on each individual. I worked very closely with my placement supervisor and mentor, who expressed their appreciation for my contribution towards my team, which was very motivating and encouraging. However, my manager was on a 'colder' side and seldom provide feedback, so it was quite hard to tell if my work was actually being valued by my manager.

I had fantastic support and guidance by my supervisor/ mentor - both in terms of technical aspects and soft skills (business acumen, management, etc.). However, it was still expected that you learn things quickly on the job, along with some 'self-discovery'. E-learning and taught courses also available but you have to be proactive to do/ sign up for them.

Not very busy in the beginning so time was going very slow for the first 4-5-ish weeks. This was because I wasn't given my projects straight away (this differs from intern to intern). After I got assigned my projects, I got VERY VERY busy and often had to work overtime.

I was assigned several individual projects all of which address the current business needs/ issues; these were a combination of technical- and management-based projects. I also supported the routine activities within the team that I was based in. I had to write a report and prepare a presentation for each of my individual project - this took up most of the time but towards the end I found out that not all interns were requested to submit a final report/ do a final presentation. So, this aspect also varies, but ultimately it depends on how much effort you want to put in to your projects! (TIP: the more the do, the more you will get out of it)

A very large extent! Both in terms of technical aspects (being able to understand and deal with new topics quickly and confidently) and the transferable skills. This placement was also very helpful in developing my business acumen and soft skills - organisation and management, communication with stakeholders, oral and written presentation, etc. etc.

It was quite a small team so everyone was quite close to each other. Friendly atmosphere, some jokes around to get through the day. we also have regular team dinners after work.

Had clear project objectives and goals right from when I was assigned my individual projects. I was also given useful contacts for technical support. Weekly catch up session organised with my supervisor, and several review meetings with my line manager. However, as to how I would approach/ manage my projects depends on myself.

E-learning platform with many different E-learning courses related to technical aspects/ soft skills which are free for me to do. I was also able attend a classroom-based training courses which were paid for by my department. I was also assigned a mentor from another department who can provide general support/ help me explore different parts of the business.

It depends on the department/ site that you're based in. Some sites have more interns than others, so they usually have lunch together and would organise regular sharing sessions about their experience so far. At the end of the placement there is a sharefair where placement students would present a poster showcasing their work.

there are quite a few activities/ mini-projects organised by a group of placement/ graduate colleagues, for which the meetings are usually after the typical working hours. There are also quite a number of summer placement students also live in a same area, and would organise social activities like football, go-kart etc..