Engineering Placement Review

I have been challenged and given responsibility but guided enough so that I don't feel lost. My confidence in myself and my abilities has grown massively and I've gained invaluable experience in project management.

Almost everyone is so kind and friendly, its hard to know everyone personally but those around my work area treat me like an adult and truly care for me. The work I do is so clearly valued by many as they not only praise me but are happy to give me more responsibility. The kindness and warmth from my colleagues has been so great as a welcome to PepsiCo and Lincoln as a whole. I will always be grateful for it.

I was given the support I need without feeling like someone else is doing my job for me. I have a 1 to 1 every Friday with my manager in which he takes the opportunity to teach me different aspect of the job. I like this because its not too overwhelming and I can learn as I go. It also gives me the opportunity to ask for any help or advice I may need which is really helpful.

Some days were definitely busier than others - however there were always things to do. Once the first few weeks had passed there were more and more projects to work on and so the workload was pretty consistent after that. I enjoy being busy so this job is a good fit, and on the quieter days it can be nice to have a chance to catch up with colleagues regarding different projects and think over next steps.

Various maintenance jobs were given to me for which I was solely responsible for. Planning jobs from start to finish and seeing them through is a big responsibility as mistakes can cost production and money to fix. I really enjoyed the amount of responsibility I was given as it meant I learned a lot about managing risk. The responsibility was also a great way to understand consequences in the real world - something that you can't really learn at university.

The best skill I gained from my placement was time management. I learned the value in waking up early and using the day to my advantage. I have also learned to see the bigger picture and the power of a careful plan - which not only helps with assignments and deadlines but I believe will help with jobs in the future. There are so many technical aspects to the engineering placement I'm on that I simply would not have learned on my course which I believe makes me a more well-rounded and employable individual.

Generally there's a friendly and positive atmosphere in the office. Like any place there are some bumps along the way, especially if something has gone wrong in the factory and lots of people are slightly stressed. It's rare for there to be any negativity within the office as a whole - however, like anywhere, there are individuals who are less happy than others (these people tend to like a rant).

Very well! In my first week I had inductions with all the different teams on site, as well as tours round the factory and site, and various calls to get settled. The only slight disorganisation was to do with people in the office being made aware of my job role as it differed from my predecessors. I think this was largely due to covid and therefore people working from home meant that it may not have been effectively communicated. This did however give me a good opportunity to introduce myself and discuss my role with others and how our roles may cross.

I was given many opportunities to do training that wasn't necessarily required for my job role. I was grateful for this as it means that after university I'll be more employable and have a larger set of skills than I would have gained elsewhere. None of this is required, however, which I think is a good thing as well because there are certain training courses I don't think I'll need (marketing design for example).

Incredibly appealing! I hope to stay at PepsiCo for many years to come!

The Lincoln site I worked at was very small and therefore I was the only placement student. It did mean that I had more focused learning and I was in touch with all the placement students in the UK employed by PepsiCo.

Living was entirely affordable in a house share in Lincoln - which was also a great way to meet people. Socialising, like anywhere, is as inexpensive or expensive as you make it.

I hear its good but due to covid I didn't get much of a chance to go out.

Loads! I took part in tennis and dance as well as going bouldering with my friends.