Solutions Engineering Work Placement Student Review

My placement at ASM allowed for me to participate in jobs all around the company. With practical and theoretical work. I enjoyed the ability to not just design something but to also see it made, tested and used in real-world applications. I also got the opportunity to leave the office on multiple occasions to work around England.

It was not long until I was entrusted by my colleagues to carry out independent work for current projects, as well as come up with new solutions. Some times it is hard for a student in an office full of professionals to find responsibility, however, I made sure that I proved my self and earned the respect of senior management.

Employees around ASM were happy to help out with any questions I had and taught me everything I needed to know. I was given both formal and informal training. My mentor spent the whole placement teaching me as much as he possibly could, all during real-world scenarios and not practise.

ASM promotes a good work-life balance. I never felt like I had to skip lunch or work into the evening. The workload was not consistent due to the nature of the department I was placed into. I found my self super busy during some days and others not so busy. It was hard for me to predict my workload.

Responsibility is both given and earned at ASM. The majority of the work I did at ASM was also accompanied by different levels of responsibility. I felt like the work I was doing was contributing to the company and I am proud of the work I did. My manager made sure to grow my independents within the company.

I believe the skills I developed whilst at ASM will not only help with my degree but also in my career and life. Practical experience in the industry is a must to anyone that wants the best for their career. My understanding of engineering has changed dramatically and this will have a positive effect on my degree.

The general atmosphere at ASM is friendly however at times can be demotivated. One to one social interactions are always positive but people tend to hold in any issues they have instead of speaking their mind. Employees can get frustrated with their work which affects their mood. I believe this to be the case with most workplaces.

I believe my work placement was well organised for the first few months as I learnt the skills necessary for my job. My mentor made sure to expose myself to as many areas of the company which I felt was extremely beneficial to my work. Management who were responsible for the students time at ASM got us involved in many different experiences to help us out.

I believe the company invested a great deal into me, I feel like this was due to how great my mentor was and how he believed in me. I can not speak for the other students. My mentor made sure he either gave me the correct training or set up opportunities with the correct people to do it. The company gave him permission to let me further my experience more then I thought.

There are many opportunities within ASM as a global company. This means there is not just a prospect within Weymouth but also internationally. I have been exposed to many aspects of the company and enjoyed learning what else is involved in engineering outside what I knew at university. I have seen clear cases of quick progression.

The social scene between students at ASM is very good. HR promotes social activities to get the new placements interacting with each other. Starting a new job in a new place can be scary but ASM employees do a good job at welcoming and making everyone feel involved. Clubs and events are abundant with the ability to meet new people and try new things.

ASM is located in a seaside town that is a popular area for tourist for the summer. Rent prices reflect this but are still reasonable, depending on whether it is a shared place or a private residence. Weymouth is filled with activities relating to the sea-side and prices to do such are not bad.

Nightlife in Weymouth is ok. Plenty of pubs and bars to visit. It is the kind of nightlife that relies on good company, so the events organised within ASM are good opportunities to meet fun people to go out for a drink with. Live music events and good weather always brings the best out for the seaside town.

ASM is located within Dorset which is filled with great outdoor activities. Walks, bike rides and much more is available here. Like most towns, there are clubs for most sports. Basically, any activity that involves the outdoors is available in Weymouth or nearby. For someone from a city, it was a huge experience for me to live in Dorset.