Process Engineering Intern Review

I enjoyed my internship greatly – I got tremendous satisfaction from completing assigned work which contributed to a more significant goal, as opposed to the work I normally do at university (and have done throughout my academic studies). Working with fellow interns and cooperating with other BP employees added to my enjoyment and enhanced the experience. I always looked forward to another day’s work – even if at times work was challenging – progressing with tasks and developing my skillset.

My team consisted of four other interns (of multiple disciplines) and a line manager who had spent a few years at BP. I felt completely valued by all my colleagues and we all treated each other which respect, whilst working together and relying on different people’s skills depending on the task at hand. For example, I felt valued in being asked for help with problems related to process engineering by the other interns of different engineering disciplines. There was a fantastic team environment.

I had check-up meetings with my line manager every two weeks where I could discuss any issues or concerns that I had, request feedback and just generally chat about how things were going. While I was lucky in not having any problems, I would have felt comfortable to share anything with my line manager; these meetings were still great support throughout the internship. I also received as much technical guidance from my supervisor as I wanted, as well as from other BP employees – support was in plentiful supply.

I would say quite busy. I always had something to be working on – and I mean always – but there were also interesting talks and workshops going on which I frequently attended virtually. I was at no point pressured to work more however; in fact, I was specifically told to not work outside of hours. The work I was given was challenging but appropriate for the length of the internship, and allowed me to produce deliverables by the end which I was pleased with.

The work which I contributed through my internship was more important than I had expected it to be before beginning the work, based on my understanding of internships in general. I completed an individual research project for which I was encouraged to present to and discuss with resident experts for advice and suggestions. The purpose of the work completed was to assist the development of a major BP project, hence I would say I was given a substantial responsibility.

Through working on the internship my efficiency of working has improved, and I feel able to more directly tackle problem-solving situations, which are hugely beneficial for university work. I was able to develop my presentation skills through regular practise which is a useful skill in a great many applications. My ability to function well within a team and contribute to group objectives was developed greatly and I expect this to be particularly important in my future career. I also developed skills using certain software for particular purposes, useful both in university and future work.

The atmosphere was one of a cohesive team, guided by suggestions from our line manager, but at no point did it feel like he was our 'boss'. Interaction with colleagues was friendly and enjoyable, but not at the expense of respect or professionalism. We were encouraged to share helpful things we had learned, useful resources discovered etc, with each other and this promoted a very productive team environment. At the same time we discussed news within the company and the wider industry - it was very well-rounded.

The internship was well-organised with clear objectives set out at the beginning, as well as regular check-ups and development of the specific goals. I felt clear on the direction of my work and why I was completing it - if I had any questions these were immediately resolved so I knew what the task at hand was. Imporant activities were organised well in advance and I was made aware of them, so that I could plan and structure my timetable around them.

At all but every meeting with my supervisor or line manager, I was asked if there was anything I needed with regards to technical assistance or teaching to help me complete my work and for my personal development. This was very welcome and showed a keenness from the company to improve the skills and abilities of their interns. As part of a dedicated technical software development programme (for an unfamiliar application), many BP employees invested many hours into assisting and teaching myself and my fellow interns.

I have received a job offer from the company but, even had I not, I would still have been very itnerested in future employment with BP. The company has a fantastic atmosphere - extremely constructive, promotes teamwork and colleague collaboration, cares and supports its employees. To add to this, the work is both interesting and rewarding; wider understanding is faciliated by the company and it has a focus on work-life balance which is very refreshing. The opportunity to work in other parts of the world is an added bonus.

Difficult to comment as the internship was done virtually, from home. That said, the organisers did their best to promote interaction between interns from different teams and disciplines.

Cannot comment as the internship was virtual and done from home.

Cannot comment as the internship was virtual and done from home.

Difficult to comment as the internship was done virtually, from home. However, a plethora of talks and presentations were given on a variety of topics not specific to the internship work itself.