FPGA Software Engineer Review

My placement with Intel was honestly great. I had so many opportunities to do things outside of my daily tasks such as volunteering, fundraising, running STEM activities and having access to online learning. Everyone in the office wanted to help and support the whole intern community, and I felt their encouragement the whole way through. We were given responsibilities early on and were trusted with highly valued projects. We were part of the whole team.

Being the youngest in the office by quite a few years didn't actually matter. We weren't treated as anything less than a full time employee. We got full responsibilities and were relied upon for demanding tasks. You are welcomed into the team and the wider office. We were invited to take part in all the extra curricular activities and were included in planning events. I have run social and charity events for the whole office.

My managers gave me full support and guidance for both personal and professional development. We have 1:1s each week, as well as daily scrum and weekly team meeting. This allows teamworking and development to be a constant focus. Being able to work alongside people with various experience helps in your work as it brings different perspectives. There are quarterly reviews where your manager works through your strengths and their advice for future coaching and development.

This varied a lot. Some weeks close to deadlines are more high powered than those before/after. Due to the internationality of the company, some meetings will be quite early or quite late in the day, but this will be catered for as it is not expected of you to work any more than your given hours. This is only applicable for the roles that require working with teams overseas and who have direct a influence.

I was given so much responsibility all throughout my placement. After the initial training weeks where we learned about how the company worked and what we would be doing in our teams and projects, we were put into working straight away. We had constant support, but were able to move freely around tasks assigned. We were all contributing to our sprints, not just the backlog. I have presented out in major meetings to country managers.

I have learned many soft and hard skills like C++, Python, Excel, email etiquette, communication and presentation. This will help me in my whole degree as I need to be able to rely on my technical and interpersonal skills. It has also taught me how to problem solve in a different way to what is used/expected at University, but this is beneficial for ensuring a balanced view and looking ahead for my future grad employment.

Work hard, play hard. The office was full over very hard working and determined employees, who really enjoyed the social aspect as well as the technical challenges. There were lots of socializing opportunities both in and outside of work, as well as lots of sporting activities. As an intern you are included in the office wide events and are encouraged to manage your own. There was always a good environment for working, learning and developing.

Very well organized. The application process was simple. The assessment centre was well planned and gave a good introduction into how Intel and that office worked. There is support provided during the handover period where you have a month to take over from the current intern. This meant any questions can be answered quickly and without any prejudice. Joining as a big team of interns provided another safety net for support and help when starting.

We have access to many different learning sites. These include Udacity, Udemy, LinkedIn Learning and internal training. This means you are able to access anything you may need or have an interest in. Training and development days are encouraged and scheduled in. If you want to learn a new skill, then you are encouraged to find the right course to learn it. There is a lot support offered by all the members of the teams.

As an intern, you feel encouraged to reapply after graduating, and although you are not guaranteed a place, you will have a significant advantage over those who apply fresh. Making sure to network within the company will allow you to broaden your prospects. You can apply to a different role from what you did your placement year in and your manager and teammates will be able to help out. There is a lot of support!

Yes. The intern community in all offices gives a great support net and means you always have someone to talk to when needed. We organized different social events in and outside the office. It was nice to always know someone in the lunch room and be able to go to an event with someone. During lockdown we have weekly calls to chat and relax, and have been able to stay in contact with each other.

Marlow is very expensive, High Wycombe is more affordable but it's so close to London that the prices are high and going to London for events is the better option! There wasn't much student influence in High Wycombe either so it is more like going into the world of work instead of a placement year. It isn't the best if you're hoping to keep the University experience going, but you still have time on weekends!

Didn't exist too much, In high Wycombe there were a few pubs, but lots of people lived far away so we didn't manage to have many nights out. That's not to say you couldn't try to go out a bit more. Nightlife was better when going to visit Uni friends and going out for special events. This did mean you can save some money and put it aside for when you do want to go.

Everyone is encouraged to try the different sporting activities that the full time staff do, and to run anything you are interested in. This is the same for social and charity events, and the interns run different initiatives and events throughout the year. Volunteering is encouraged and time does not have to be earned back when missing work time to go and help. Intel have a scheme that helps donations to charities you volunteer with.