Engineering Placement Student Review

You will spend most of your time at your desk and in front of a computer doing a lot of admin duties. However there is always time in the day to carry out any other projects or tasks you may have going on which may be on the shop floor. There are a few tasks that need to be carried out on a daily basis; this includes creating daily reports on the status of machines around the plant. However usually each day of the week has different tasks that need to be carried out.

My presenting skills have drastically improved while at Faurecia due to the daily department meetings and also carrying out the student environmental project. Furthermore, I have improved my abilities in certain software and have also learnt to use new software. For example, my CAD designing skills on SolidWorks has improved due to taking on small design projects throughout the year to improve certain process around the plant. A new software that I learnt at the start of the year was SAP, which I have become very efficient in using and use on a daily basis.

Yes I was given some responsibilities. Due to the start of a new production line, earlier in the year I was asked to track new incoming machines and ensure that they all were uploaded on to the system and their documentation was reviewed and stored. Throughout the year it my responsibility to monitor the department's KPI targets. If anyone was not hitting their individual targets then it was my responsibility to chase them up and ensure everyone meets their targets by the end of the month.

There was a lot of support and guidance available from various people in the plant. I felt that everyone in the engineering department was approachable so I was always comfortable asking for help from the people in our office. Also at the start of the placement, I had a long handover period with the previous student which meant I received a lot of support at the start and I was able to master my roles and responsibilities quickly.

It was a very lively and good atmosphere. The people in our office are very friendly and they're always up for a laugh. Most importantly they are approachable so you won't ever feel stressed to ask for any help. As there are also other students in other departments, you are able to socialise during your breaks. We also had weekly football sessions with some colleagues from our plant and the other plant across the road which was good source of exercise as well as a lot of fun.

I enjoyed the placement mostly due to the people I was working with as they were all friendly and willing to help. Even though the work can be mundane at times, it also has very interesting aspects if you go out of your way to look for opportunities and take on your own projects. Only downside was that I was doing an hour commute to the plant everyday which can be very tiring and doesn't leave you with much time for yourself in the evenings.

Yes

Do a lot of research on your specific role and the plant you are working at. Its important to take into account where you will be living and how far you will have to commute as you start at 8am everyday. Importantly, the placement will only be more enjoyable if you go out and seek opportunities and projects. If you can, try to find problems to fix around the plant that you have an interest in.