Software Developer Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement this year. It has been challenging but rewarding, and you get the opportunity to work with so many different people in different aspects of the company outside of your day job. The atmosphere is great and you will always be treated as an equal member of the team you are in.

I feel I have been treated just as any other member of my team while at IBM. I've been given the opportunity to learn from them and contribute to our product as just as much as anyone else on the team, and they have always supported me in my work wherever necessary.

Management has always been supportive and helpful in my experience. They are approachable for any questions you may have or advice you might need, not only to complete your work to a high standard but also with regard to supporting you through mental/physical health needs.

For the majority of my placement I have had a good balance between working and having enough time to take regular breaks when needed.

During my placement I was given as much responsibility as any other team member, including contributing code, attending meetings and demonstrating the product. I was also given responsibility outside of my day job for other projects I wanted to get involved in. There are a wide range of projects outside of your day job if you feel you dont have enough responsibility already.

The skills you will learn at IBM are invaluable, going above and beyond what you would learn with a degree alone. I have learned many technologies and soft skills I would not have even heard about otherwise. I feel thoroughly prepared now for not only my 3rd year of university but also any job I may have afterwards.

The atmosphere in the office was always a good one - fast-paced, joyful and generally a good place to be. Staff are friendly and approachable across the office, even at times of great stress.

The internship was set up very well in my experience. Every intern gets assigned to a specific team for their day job, but outside of this you can also get involved in a range of other projects. The learning you need to do is all in place when you arrive, and there are workshops and events to support you throughout the year.

IBM invests heavily in personal training and development, with allocated time during the week for pursuing learning opportunities outside of your day job, as well as events aimed at learning new technical and soft skills.

I would very much like to receive a graduate job at IBM. I've thoroughly enjoyed my time at the company this year and would love the opportunity to continue working for them.

There are many placement students at IBM each year (around 80 this year) and so socialising with other students is easy. All the placement students seem to get along very well, socialising both inside of work hours and outside. I have definitely made friends here that I will keep for life.

Working in the Hursley offices of IBM, the rent around the area is not particularly cheap, however with the salary it is more than enough to cover living and socialising expenses. The costs will range between about £550-£600 a month per person, depending on your choice of area to live in.

Wherever you choose to live around the area, there are quick train links to Southampton, where there is a range of nightlife from clubs to pubs. There are also many pubs in Winchester, giving you enough options to explore that you shouldn't get bored. It's not as good as a big city, but definitely not the worst.

There are many opportunities to get involved in things outside of work. IBM hosts a range of social activities inside work hours, as well as there being a clubhouse with sports facilities to use whenever you wish. As an intern, there was also a boat party in london this year.