Static & Structural Analysis Engineer Review

Placement at Cummins has been really fun because right from the start I have been given challenging and interesting work to do. I like that fact that I am treated equally to my colleagues which means that during this year I have had the freedom to work on the projects that interest me.

Right from the start I have felt valued and appreciated by my team. Due to the fact that I am a student, I have a lot of questions and there is always someone who is willing to answer them or help me out no matter how stupid the question is.

My manager has been very helpful on my placement. They are always available to help me out on any day to day queries and we have a weekly one on one meeting set up so that I can voice any concerns or queries about my work or wellbeing at work.

Due to the department that I am in and my skill level as a student this does mean the amount of work that I have isn't always constant. I will usually have at least one project running but sometimes there aren't many projects that are suitable for my skill level because they are high priority meaning that as I am still learning, I would not be able to deliver in a suitable time which has often left some periods of work where I have had to find other things to keep busy.

Just like others in my department, I am given projects to work on which means working with people in the company from across the globe. This means that the work am doing does have real consequences. As I am a student I do still have a lot of guidance and a bigger learning curve but as I am improving throughout the year I am gradually piking up more responsibility.

A lot of the skills I can directly transfer into university such as engineering procedures used and knowledge on how to use multiple engineering programs. Other learning that can be transferred to my studies is the higher work drive and the ability to simply bring myself to wake up earlier to work.

It is very friendly in the office that I am working in. Everyone knows everyone so it is nice to always see a friendly face. During my placement there has been a re-organisation of the offices which means that everyone of all levels are at desks which means that it feels that everyone is very approachable.

As Cummins is a large company, it means that they take on many students each year and have been doing so for a while which means that they are now fairly efficient at the process. Unfortunately as things do change slightly from year to year which makes some of the processes are outdated. When I started no one knew the training that was essential for a new starter ad HR has almost no idea about important facts like my leave date and what to do about setting up an IMechE mentorship.

At the start of my placement, and still continuing throughout, I have attended many compulsory training which obviously costs cost the company a lot of money every single time. There are also many share-points and websites that have been recommended to me for me to look at should I ever want to update my knowledge and find out something else.

Cummins is a highly respectable company with many different business units which spans across the globe. This means that if you do well as a student and this is the sort of work that you are interested in that it would be very good to try and return to the company in the future

As there a lot of students that are based on this site, it means that there is a lot of opportunity to socialise with other people your age and this means that there are plenty of other people to get on with. It is also helpful as it means there are plenty of other people going throughout the same experiences so you can ask for help from other students

As the engineering site is also part of a production line, this means that the factory has to be somewhere with a large area. This means that where I am working is in the East midlands in a small town in Northamptonshire. This means that the cost of living is very low because it in a rural area which not a lot to do.

The area that I am working in is a small town in Northamptonshire which means that the nightlife scene is pretty much nonexistant. In the local town there a few pubs but that is pretty much it which means that if you want to go for a night out you will have to travel at least half an hour to find a town with any clubs in it.

If you are willing to find activities and look out for opportunities there is always a chance to get involved in extra curricular activities. Cummins has a lot of involvement in local schools and often helps out in university career fairs(especially Coventry) and there also things like the Cummins social/ sport club that you can join.