Well Intern Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my overall experience at Shell. Being able to use my learnings from university in a workplace environment was an enjoyable experience. The work I conducted during my time at the company allowed me to further my knowledge of the oil and gas industry. The work I completed also had a meaningful effect on the business.

All the colleague's were very nice and welcoming within all the departments in the business. I had no bad experiences with any members of staff within the company. I also felt like the team I worked with treated me like one of their own, with invitations to external events and team bonding sessions.

My supervisor and mentor were both extremely helpful. They both went out of their way to not only teach me what to do but also offered me support and guidance whenever I needed it. This was backed up by weekly meetings with both where my work could be checked and any queries I had could be answered.

Although I was given quite a large task to complete during my twelve week placement, nearer the end of my placement I ran out of things to do and there was not much extra work I could complete. This resulted in the last week or so of the placement being quite quiet.

At the beginning of my placement I was set with deliverables to complete. After a few weeks of basic training/onboarding I was then left to complete the projects. This involved me managing my own time effectively as well as communicating in a professional manner to other members of staff/external contacts.

The time management and project planning skills I have obtained during my placement have been invaluable to me to ensure the successful completion of my dissertation. The oil and gas engineering knowledge I have also now attained has helped me in my studies in university in my oil and gas class.

The general atmosphere in the office was happy and chatty. Everyone was very kind and happy to help in whatever way they could. With some members of staff going out of their way to help me with my project. I felt like I could go and introduce myself to anyone within the office without any problems.

Although the application process took quite a long time, with my placement only being confirmed a few days before the start date, the actually placement process and set up was very smooth. With the process clearly explained to me on the first day, along with what was expected of me during my time there.

The company gave me significant training during my first week, with the different processes involved with Wells being discussed in great depth. The company also encouraged/gave me the opportunity to visit suppliers to see different pieces of equipment in person to help give me a greater understanding of the industry.

I was fortunate enough to pass my placement while at Shell. Passing the placement then gives the intern the opportunity to get a graduate job on completion of their degree. This is a superb opportunity for any current student and is an opportunity that should not be passed up on.

There was weekly placement student events created throughout my time at the company, with social drinks being arranged along with other activities. There was also monthly networking events set up for any graduates and placement students. The team I worked with also went out for food and drinks a few times.

Aberdeen is quite an expensive city. Although not as pricey as London, the cost of living and socialising is considerably greater than the cost in Glasgow. It does depend on where and when you go as numerous pubs do happy hours and certain pubs are cheaper on a weekday compared to a weekend.

The nightlife in Aberdeen is ok. There are numerous pubs along union street and the surrounding areas in town, with a few nightclubs as well. The nightlife is not as good as bigger cities in scotland such as glasgow and edinburgh but there is more than enough to keep you entertained.

Again there were lots of opportunities to get involved with extra activities outside of work. The graduates and placement students set up extra events that could be attended. There was also a monthly bulletin sent out that contained the details of different charity and socialising events that were upcoming in the area.