Entry Level Talent Intern Review

I have loved my time at Siemens - I have made so many amazing friends in my fellow interns and colleagues. My role is in Entry Level Talent which is related to HR, and I have loved being able to explore this as a potential career option that I otherwise may have discounted after I graduated. It has been an amazing experience that I wouldn't change for the world, and I am so glad I did it.

I have had the opportunity to work in a small team of three - myself, my manager and supervisor. We work extremely well together and I feel that I am appreciated as a valuable team member. I have received multiple awards and praise for the work that I have done, which has greatly boosted my confidence. My manager also wanted to submit an application for me for the Intern of the Year Award. Although I didn't pursue this, I was honoured that she wanted to nominate me.

My supervisor in particular has been brilliant in supporting me with tasks and teaching me how to do things. Both my team are always there if I need to ask any questions or require assistance. Throughout the placement, I have been trusted to execute large tasks with only their guidance when required, which I am grateful for as I believe this has developed my confidence greatly. I am always able to approach them if I am struggling with anything. I also have a placement mentor who I can speak to if I need any further support or guidance.

Throughout my internship, I have had a high workload for the majority of the time. There have been the odd days where it has been more quiet, which has resulted in days going slowly. However, it is usually the opposite, with having lots of tasks to complete to short deadlines, which I really enjoy. I feel that I work well under pressure and I love to be busy and feel that I am making a difference and meeting my deadlines whenever possible. Whilst completing my workload, I am also there to support all of the trainees with any questions or issues that they are having.

I have been given lots of responsibility - I have been able to organize and project manage lots of different events. I have been the lead when visiting schools for careers fairs, and have even done some alone. I have organized events that Siemens have attended, such as The FAB Awards in aid of Barnado's held at the University of Lincoln. I am also responsible for many different processes, and if I was not organised, these wouldn't get done. I have also worked on projects that have resulted in the business saving money which was rewarding.

I have developed my skills greatly, I am much more confident and I feel that my communication skills have improved. I am now able to approach senior management and be confident in what I am saying. I feel that my organisation and time management will greatly help me when I return to university for my final year, and I will work harder as a result to try to achieve a first class honours degree.

As we are based in the Human Resources department, the office can sometimes be very quiet and have classified information. However, saying this, our team get on very well and are able to have a laugh and a chat. Before my placement, I wouldn't have been confident enough to join in with discussions, however now I feel like I am the opposite. I regularly assist my colleagues with IT issues that they are having which has helped me form better working relationships with them as a result.

For myself personally, I received my ID Badge on the first day and had my laptop on the third day in the business, so it was very smooth. I was able to do my work almost straight away, and wasn't waiting around. The training courses we went on were well organised, and we were provided with all of the information we needed ahead of each one.

We completed an Intern Development Programme, which consisted of three different training courses and then an Entry Level Talent UK Graduation Gala to finish off our internships and celebrate our achievements. I feel that the Gala was an excellent way to end the programme, as we were able to celebrate with our closest friends and also meet trainees from all of the other Siemens sites. The training courses I feel were beneficial, and helped us to work as a team and pushed me outside of my comfort zone. This was difficult at first, however it became easier.

I would love to have the opportunity to work for Siemens in the future, as I really appreciate the values that the business has and the people that work there. I have also learnt more about the engineering industry being based in Lincoln, at Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery Ltd. I would also love to explore opportunities within Siemens UK at other locations.

I loved having so many interns to socialise and build friendships with - there are 22 of us in total. This has made my placement year so much more enjoyable, as we are a close group of friends who I will keep after we all leave. We are able to support and help each other and even work on projects. Our group of interns have also been fundraising and organizing events in aid of charity, which has allowed us to develop even better friendships. We regularly see each other outside of work.

Lincoln is a relatively affordable place to live, so it is ideal to have a placement in. It is also a lovely city which isn't too big, so it is really easy to get used to. Socialising costs are normal, with there also being regular student nights and student discounts that we were able to take advantage of.

I personally like the nightlife in Lincoln, as the city isn't too big so you are able to walk everywhere you'd like to go. There are some nice bars and clubs to go to, and they are very busy when the University of Lincoln students are here. Some people may prefer larger cities, however I think it is a great night here.

In terms of business ran opportunities, there were not that many. There is a football tournament that is put on in Warwick every year, however as I am a female I didn't want to take part in this. However, as interns we created our own events and activities so that we could get to know each other, and had regular nights out/meals/cinema trips/BBQs.