Process Engineer (Student) Review

I enjoyed my placement very much, it was a good change from university courses for me as there is a greater sense of purpose to your work. Flexible hours and friendly colleagues certainly helped. There are many opportunities to get involved and to guide your own development to your own preferences.

Early on the work had less direction and felt less useful, but with time and as I took on responsibilities I felt I had become an integral part of the team delivering on our project. I fully understand how my work contributed to our objectives and how my work fits in with the wider team.

I was given good support from my supervisors and help was always available. Occasionally there were moments where I was given less guidance but they were typically brief. Students have a responsibility to reach out for help or to take on more responsibilities/work if they feel they are not given enough tasks.

Quite variable. Some days I am busy 9-5 with little to no breaks, others I had very little to do for hours at a time. Depends on workload and how well you plan out your time. It is crucial to plan weeks ahead to ensure you are not getting caught up with too many deadlines at the same time and spend other weeks with nothing left to do.

My work was crucial to the delivery of the teams project. This meant I had a responsibility to deliver on my tasks on time to ensure there was progress. I was also entrusted with expensive equipment and products and had a responsibility to make good use of resources. Responsibilities given increased with my investment in and knowledge of the wider project.

Hard to comment at this stage as I have not yet gone back to university. I can tell I gained many valuable skills, particularly soft skills, planning and a better sense of what is important and what is not. I definitely do not regret having taken a year to complete this placement as the experience is invaluable.

My office was less casual than some of the other ones in this and other departments, particularly as my team members were slightly older than the average. Regardless the atmosphere is positive and friendly, there are regular opportunities to socialise and have a break, or to participate in events. I have not yet witnessed any serious conflicts or general toxicity.

Fairly well organised. There is always a bit of time spent finding your feet but all the inductions are provided within a reasonable timeframe and there were no major incidents in this area. I will observe that the HR group contracted to handle our pay and holiday did not seem very organised or efficient.

The firm invests seriously in its employees and students almost fully benefit from this. There are regular self-development sessions, trainings, events to present work. Managers and supervisors take responsibility on overseeing your progress and ensuring you set objectives following the SMART goal setting method. In this area you get out what you put it. Students have a responsibility to seek self-development by finding opportunities and events.

Future prospects appear good, although the company goes through structural changes quite frequently. I have identified two areas where I may seek future employment after graduation but have not made my mind up yet. The company seems to follow a fairly horizontal hierarchy, it is much easier to move around the company at the same grade than it is to get promoted up grades.

Yes definitely but this was mostly because of the group of placement students for the year. A bad year may result in a fairly bland social scene. Non-student colleagues participated in semi-regular events and team outings occasionally happened but the opportunities there are obviously less flexible and less frequent. I would recommend to get involved early.

Cost of living is low, rent is low. This seems to be a mix of being in the North and in a small town. Definitely recommend living close to work rather than in Manchester both from an expenses and time saving point of view. Pay easily covers all your costs if you spend responsibly.

Go to Manchester. There is on club in Macclesfield (called Fever) and if the name doesn't repulse you, a quick visit will. Still worth trying just for the sake of it but Manchester has significantly better night life.

Yes definitely, but here again you get what you put in. Many of us started bouldering as there is a place close to work. The peak district is nearby for climbing or hiking, there is also Macclesfield forest. There are good gyms, occasional work events, Alton Towers nearby and of course all the stuff in Manchester.