Geophysics Intern Review

The internship was challenging. Before the pandemic, we planned a 13-week in-person internship, but this was changed to a 6-week internship, so essentially we were trying to complete the same work in half the time. The work and the project were very interesting. I was exposed to a new field of physics and I learnt a lot during the 6 weeks. The aspects that made the experience less enjoyable were due to remote working, such as having to sit in front of a screen all day.

The company definitely made me feel valued. One of the company's greatest value is safety and this is taken seriously as we are reminded of the importance of ergonomics, reminded to take regular breaks etc. I also felt valued in the sense that I was given a lot of independence during the project and I felt my ideas were considered. People on my team were also all very approachable and are happy to guide me to the right resources or help me with my understanding of the project.

I had a daily meeting with my supervisor and could reach out to my supervisor and other people in the company via Microsoft Teams any time. People were very responsive and seemed happy to help or to chat. I also received lots of support from the weekly check-in Teams call with the Early Careers Team. The Early Careers Team also organised training sessions such as presentation skills or understanding learning style to help us develop professionally.

Regarding the technical aspect, although geophysics is not a part of my degree, there are lots of parallels between geophysics and optical physics. Regarding the soft skills I had developed, I feel I have definitely gained a lot of confidence when I have to present in front of an audience, especially when I feel I have less time than I would have liked. I also feel more comfortable reaching out to people in a virtual setting.

The internship had a clear objective and a clear workflow, although it took a while to understand the workflow. The internship was not structured in the sense that certain tasks needed to be done by a certain deadline. I was given a lot of independence in terms of time management. For example, we were asked to schedule a meeting ourselves for the end-of-internship assessment with our assessor. We had a lot of freedom in choosing a time that suits us, instead of having to follow a rigid structure.

I would say that the general atmosphere is casual and laid back, in the sense that it felt easy to ask for help and to reach out to others on the team. During the internship, we had a daily standup where we updated everyone on the team what we had been working on. The atmosphere during the stand ups was laid back. The atmosphere also felt encouraging as it was evident that people were passionate about what they did.

The Early Careers Team organised lots of training sessions on softer skills for our professional development, such as presentation skills, agile working, or understanding learning style. These were not only useful for work, but also for university. There were also lots of presentation opportunities and it helped me tremendously. I have become a lot more confident. For example, in one of the presentation sessions, we were asked who wanted to present first, and I put my hand up. This was something I didn't think I would have done before the internship.

I worked full time for the company for 6 weeks. Although the internship was done remotely, which meant it was a different experience to working in an office, I got an insight into the company's atmosphere and values. I was also introduced to geophysics, a new field of physics I had not considered previously. My degree is very academic and it was very helpful to gain an insight of what a physics graduate role would look like.

During the internship, it was evident that the company places a lot of emphasis on its core values. I previously thought these were mere slogans for the website, but these values were actually something the company follows and they would constantly remind us to think about how our work fits in with these values. For example, one of the company's core value is safety, and this didn't just mean safety during well drilling, it also meant safety while working from home. We received training on cyber safety and had to complete a regular assessment on ergonomic safety.

The internship was a very valuable experience as I could see myself working for the company full time. It also reinforces my idea that I would like to pursue a career after my degree, instead of further study. Because I was impressed by the company's atmosphere and values, I would definitely like to join the company.

I was paid for the internship and reimbursed for travel expenses during the recruitment process.

My line manager has set up a coffee break for me to meet colleagues on other teams. He also introduced me to the line manager of a different team and I was able to drop into their meeting to meet people on their team as well. Other networking opportunities had to be created by myself. I emailed a few people I met at these meetings and asked if they would be happy for me to schedule a coffee break, and everyone seemed very approachable.

There were networking events that happen over lunch time as well as a weekly social event straight after work. However, I had not been able to attend any of these. I found it quite difficult to be in front of a screen all day and found that I needed to spend the lunch hour away from the computer or needed a break from the desk straight after work. I would have taken advantage of the social opportunities if the internship had taken place in person.

Yes, the company has organised a session for us to learn about these activities. There are groups within the company that focus on promoting and representing diversity such as people of colour, LGBT+, and people with disabilities. The session told us what these groups did and we were able to attend further sessions or to take parts in these groups. There were also regular emails that told us what was on, for example, a virtual careers fair for the colleagues' children.

Yes, I think bp is a good company to work for and I would definitely recommend this to friends in relevant fields (earth science or engineering). I would recommend the internship to a friend even if it does not take place remotely. I think it is a good experience either remotely or in person.