Summer Intern within Civil Aerospace Review

Every day is varied, there may be research to do, presentations to create, meetings to attend or a full-day course to join so there is a lot of variety and it is an exciting fast-paced environment. Almost daily I interact with members of my team, including my manager. I have appreciated having responsibilities beyond my expectations and being involved in a wide variety of tasks, such as rotor-dynamics analysis, system criticality and risk assessments or team intern projects.

I have learnt a wide variety of new skills. For example, I am learning how to study the rotor-dynamics of a shaft. In addition, I have enhanced my Excel skills due to a project which required combining results from different sub-teams into one spreadsheet. Having courses on Export Control and Product Safety was also insightful as well as the careers team sharing useful Wellbeing advice. Another key skill I have improved is my ability to set goals and objectives.

The internship was a great opportunity to take on some important responsibilities within the organisation's projects, both independently and with a team. I learnt a lot from the experience and worked on five main projects in the ten weeks, ranging from more technical work to project-management. I experienced key aspects of the business and delved into a variety of different areas of the business through online talks and projects whilst also maintaining a significant focus on the main tasks.

My managers and team were incredibly supportive, providing guidance and advice from the very beginning of the internship. Acting as both mentors and buddies, they taught me a lot of key skills and were prepared to answer every question and help with tasks when needed. They guided me to be able to join interesting projects alongside them and everyone was always available in case I had to reach out in person or online. I often had meetings with them.

Rolls-Royce has a very diverse, open and friendly culture, with a focused and enthusiastic approach to work. There are many diversity and inclusion initiatives, and a great aim for the company to be a comfortable place to work for the employees. They usually have many social events and activities, such as sports competitions and charity runs, but due to COVID-19, these were not available. However, the team often went to dinners in small groups which was a great social aspect.

I really enjoyed my internship as it was a great experience to have such a steep learning curve under the guidance of a friendly and supportive team. I learnt many key skills and had the opportunity to delve into a variety of projects. The internship exceeded my expectations as the company was friendly, inclusive and focused on its goals and it was a brilliant way to gain experience, meet new people and work on real projects in industry.

Yes

If possible, prepare well for the online tests, interviews and the assessment centre as it would increase your confidence on the day. Try to be yourself and talk about the topics you enjoy because enthusiasm is great. Look into the company and decide whether you resonate with their current goals and aims as well as what they would like to do in the future. It would have been great to know that the dress code is generally not smart - only (smart) casual!