Engineeing Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Siemens this past year. I actually started here as a Summer intern but I really wanted to continue the work I was doing so managed to negotiate an extension to my contract as a 'year in industry'. I have been lucky to be involved in multiple projects with different sorts of work involved, allowing me to understand what kind of job role I want in the future.

Siemens have a system called 'Champions Awards' which you can be nominated for by your colleagues if you produce excellent pieces of work. I think it's a great way to show gratitude for good work you have done and you also get a gift voucher as a reward which is nice!

My line managers have always been supportive by encouraging me to go on training courses to help improve my skill set. They have actively tried to get as much experience as possible, including going out on site visits. Even though they are very busy, they have always made time for me, which I really appreciate! Also the team responsible for the apprentices, interns and grads provided fantastic support during the on boarding process and whilst we were working. They also organised some great events including the Early Talent Gala!

During my placement I was lucky enough to have different rotations. When I was based in London I was kept very busy, with a lot of travelling involved for meetings with clients and site surveys. Some days were very long as I had to travel long distances however it wasn't too bad as I actually really enjoyed the work I was doing. I often had work for multiple projects at the same time, so it taught me a lot about to time managing effectively.

I was given much more responsibility than I ever thought I'd have during my placement. Not only did I have the opportunity to chair meetings with internal colleagues, I also chaired meetings with clients and sub-contractors. I was also responsible for submitting documents to clients on time and ensuring what I produced was accurate and to the standard that was expected.

I've had the chance to experience different roles from the design team to project management so it's helped me understand what I enjoy and what I want to pursue as a future career. I have learnt a lot about the working environment, including how to work with colleagues and superiors as well as how to manage clients and subcontractors which I am sure will be very valuable in the future.

Siemens have invested a lot of money in training and development. All interns are enrolled onto the Intern Development Programme, which involves 3 compulsory training modules, which include how to present an idea, how to have a balanced lifestyle and about future career progression. I also requested to go on training including AutoCAD and SQL courses.

When I was based in London the cost of travel was very expensive, over £200 per month for a Railcard. Also, going out is quite expensive, especially compared to outside of London! However when I moved up north, the travel costs were a lot cheaper and so were the general costs of living.

There were plenty of events to get involved in. Siemens have a lot of STEM/CSR events you can get involved with, including visiting local schools and at science festivals across the UK. Siemens allow you to volunteer for 2 days per year. I had the chance to volunteer with the Gadget factory in Birmingham and Newcastle, teaching children how to solder resistors, capacitors and LEDs. I also had the chance to visit a local school to promote apprenticeship roles to A-level students and conduct practice assessment centres and mock interviews.