Innovation Intern Review

Great place to work. I enjoyed the variety in my job and the level of responsibility I was given. Normally in internships, the intern is treated with less importance than the rest of the team but this internship was great as I really felt my team trusted me and believed in my decision making skills. It was enjoyable to work within a professional workplace and to learn how to adapt to the corporate life that I wasn't used to.

I felt that they trusted me to make key decisions and they allowed me to speak with clients on a one- to- one basis which was really valuable. My colleagues were kind although a bit harsh at times. It was apparent that my boss was a bit power controlling and had trust issues with certain tasks but I think by the end she learnt that I could do the job well and began trusting me more and more.

I had regular meetings, in fact at Rolls-Royce most days are full of meetings. I was supported by completing certain courses and she also sent me useful information to help me with my presentation skills. I was a bit disappointed that sometimes I felt like I couldn't ask all the questions I had. Partially because my boss was very busy but also would require me to book a meeting with her to speak about something small and informal.

I always had things to do and once I gained the trust of my colleagues they gave me more jobs. Most days were full of meetings. It really depends how much someone does in their role and how far they push themselves. I tried to complete some awards and also join societies and clubs so was very busy but I know others who did purely the job and were less busy so completely depends on the person.

I was really trusted at the end with big jobs which I didn't expect to be given. I could talk with big clients, manage high budget projects and also design parts of the platform which was hugely rewarding. I didn't expect to be given so much responsibility so was really happy to be trusted with so much and in many different aspects of the job. Obviously at the beginning I did not have as much but it gradually built up.

Although my internship wasn't directly relevant to my degree, I was absolutely able to apply my degree to my job. I learnt how to adapt to the corporate life which is something that I had never done before. I can take these skills into the future and use them when working within large organisations. It taught me the importance of working within a team and communicating well and I feel I have new knowledge I did not have previously.

Very friendly office with a wide variety of job roles within the same office. This meant collaboration would be easier and you could work on a variety of different projects. Desks were not assigned so anyone could change seat any day, I tried to sit next to new people every day to learn about their role and get to know everyone. Would highly recommend doing this as when they get to know you, they also trust you with their projects.

Training was very organised, obligatory health and safety as well as privacy training was required which was done on the computer. Clear stages in the internship were required such as catch-up meetings, induction and also de-kitting making the whole process easy to understand from the beginning as well as the timeline. If anything, it would have been nice to have less bureaucracy because at times it was too much and would take time away from my job.

I was able to qualify for an award because of my impact in the business which was very valuable. The business invested in my growth and well-being but also to a certain extent I did not have much guidance throughout my placement. I was given a graduate coach who was lovely but also I didn't want to bother her too much all the time as she was very busy. It would have been nice to have a bit more guidance on the tasks.

The organisation has many opportunities for graduates and when you finish your internship your boss has to 'rate' you which can help you if you want to get employment again within the business. The issue is the current situation with many job losses, I feel like the prospects have worsened and now are less likely to be available to less experienced individuals such as graduates. I know they have stopped some of the graduate scheme already.

It was encouraged to speak to other students and colleagues and also collaborate which was nice. It was a very friendly atmosphere and there was a social place to eat although mainly only used by the younger graduates. At least someone would bring cakes or biscuits every day to celebrate birthdays or events which was a nice way to get to know others and socialise. The general culture is the more experienced employees tended to not speak so much to the younger and newer employees or interns such as myself.

Cheap for accommodation and also transport due to being in Derby. The accommodation they suggested wasn't extremely cheap but was a good price. In the town there were many things to do and affordable restaurants. The pay compared to the cost of living was great and in general was a very affordable location to work and live. It isn't the nicest area and the town isn't huge and doesn't have a great reputation but was enough for me.

It was a little empty the town and was said you have to be a bit careful when going out because of the town centre. I didn't go out at night but know there were nice bars and pubs and restaurants to visit. I imagine the clubs would be cheap but you just have to be a bit careful as the bus station was quite far from everything so probably taxi would be the only way home.

There were social events and sports. I went to meditation sessions every lunchtime which was great and relaxing and also attended by many other employees. It felt like a university campus, I also went to a language club which I really enjoyed but think they could have advertised some of the clubs better as some of them I had to find out for myself. At the intern events you will receive most of the information anyway.