Summer internship Review

I was uncertain whether bp would be able to construct a rich learning experience in an online format and shortened to 6 weeks. However, I was extremely pleased with the programme. Straight away, I was given responsibility for a real and interesting project and given the information and tools to work on it. I was immediately welcomed to the team and my ideas and contributions were valued. I developed many hard and soft skills - from learning new programming languages to becoming a confident presenter.

My internship was in the summer of 2020. Many companies cancelled and withdrew internship offers due to covid-19, and so I was very grateful that bp put the effort in to make the experience virtual and ensure it was a rich and worthwhile experience. Throughout, people were very welcoming and willing to invest their time to help me. I was working on a real project that brought tangible and significant value to the company. It is satisfying to work on something that is going to be implemented in the coming months and bring value to bp.

During my internship, I had a line manager and a buddy. My line manager was the person I reported to - we set goals at the start, reviewed them midway and discussed my successes at the end. My buddy was a more junior employee, only a few years ahead of me. They were on another team and acted as a first port of call for any questions I had. My project involved working closely with other people, all of whom were readily available to help and offer their expertise whenever I needed it!

I was working in a data science team, and was using various languages and platforms during my internship, some of which I had no previous experience of. However, bp has fantastic learning platforms and everyone was supportive of me taking time to develop the necessary skills. This was great experience that I am confident will come in handy in the future, even if not during my final degree year. I also developed plenty of soft skills - I know that I am a better team member and presenter as a result of my time at bp.

The programme was well structured. It was 6 weeks long during the summer, shortened from the usual ~12 weeks due to covid-19. The first day was an induction day, with various introductory talks. From then on, we were each working full-time on a project. Throughout, there were other intern events, which allowed us to learn about other roles and interesting projects at bp, the energy transition in general, and how the company is being reimagined.

I found the general atmosphere excellent. Everyone was extremely welcoming and helpful. I was initially worried at how well integrated I'd feel given the experience was entirely virtual. However, after getting to grips with the way the team worked, I soon felt at ease and one of the team. I am sure that there would have been much more socialising had the experience been in person, but we were encouraged to organise our own events and I felt well connected with the other interns.

During my internship, I had many opportunities to speak to current employees and ask them questions. Speaking to challengers (on the graduate programme) helped me develop an understanding of what a full time role out straight out of university would entail. We also had opportunities to speak to management, which helped me imagine where a career at bp could take me and the opportunities available to manage your own career direction. We also had a session with Bernard Looney, which helped us understand the new direction and priorities of the company.

I feel like I have a good idea of the culture at bp. The people are ambitious and hardworking but also value a work-life balance. The company seems to be very supportive of its employees and their personal goals. Although I'd visited the offices for the technical interview and assessment centre, I think it was slightly harder to get a true impression of the ambiance of the office from your own home (as the experience was entirely virtual).

There were plenty of opportunities to approach and speak to other employees. Some involved organised sessions, such as lunchtime talks from employees from other business areas or people working on particularly interesting projects. However, there were also informal opportunities to meet people. My project was very collaborative and I was liaising with people working in other continents. When everyone is working virtually, it is in a sense easier to reach out to people because everyone is only one click away, regardless of what team or country they are in. I found that everyone had half an hour to spare for a virtual coffee!

Just by speaking to employees, I learnt about what sort of opportunities are available outside of work. These include bp-organised/facilitated activities, such as career events, becoming a STEM ambassador, fundraising activities, various sporting events etc. However, plenty of people had their own projects or hobbies that bp were supportive of - including training for marathons, swimming the Channel, or being an RAF reservist. Flexi Fridays allow employees to take a Friday off every fortnight if they work an extra hour every day, which gives people freedom to do that sort of thing.

Absolutely! bp is a large company with a significant intake of graduates each year - their internship and graduate scheme are well respected. The summer internship is well-structured, well paid and also fun. You will be welcomed into a team and be working on real projects that bring real tangible value to the company. I developed plenty of hard and soft skills that will benefit me in my degree and future career. bp is reimagining itself and is at the forefront of the energy transition, which is very exciting.