Hardware Engineering Intern Review

During my placement I worked on designing, reviewing and modifying schematics. Also I created bill of materials and other similar documents. Throughout my placement I worked on one project and stayed within the same team. A lot of work was from home due to the pandemic however during the course of my placement a majority of my work could be done remotely. My main role was to help the existing team with the project they had already started before I joined.

During my placement I developed my skills with CAD software, team-working, problem solving, communication, time management and attention to detail. A lot of the work required very precise details and needed to be checked multiple times. Team-working and collaboration was the most developed skill for me as all tasks required some form of teamwork and communicating clearly was very important to make sure the task was understood. The placement also helped with my confidence as I worked with various different people throughout the placement talking to them on a daily basis.

Yes while working on the project I was given tasks that I was responsible for. These tasks were important as they had to meet deadline to pass over to other teams. I created many important documents that were used by various other teams to refer to. They were also checked to make sure there were no errors. I also had to complete a number of schematics before a deadline so that they can be reviewed by my colleagues.

Throughout my placement I worked on many new things, initially I was shown how to complete the task and then I spent some time working on it. After I worked on the task I would then have another meeting to go over any questions. My manager was also always available for any questions I had. Everyone was very happy to help me and understood that I had never worked with anything similar. I also had a mentor I met with every month.

The company regularly held events for charity, volunteering and various other things. The intern committee also organised a few events for on-site visits and meet-ups. There were also many lunch events to meet with senior members of staff to discuss anything related to the site. There were also days out on the weekend organised with a meetup after in the evening. Overall there were many events and activities, and with the weather getting better there were more outdoor events.

I loved my time during my placement, the team I worked with were amazing. Very helpful and were always understanding. My manager was also great, he was very helpful and always spoke to me about my next steps after the placement. It exceeded my expectations as every week was different and I never got bored as the work was so interesting. I would definitely go back once I have finished university as I really enjoyed my time there.

Yes

The interview process consists of a recorded interview with questions and then a live interview where more technical questions are asked. The first day is nothing to worry about, you are given an induction for half the day and then you meet your managers. The overall atmosphere is very relaxed and they understand it is probably your first time working in an office. If I reapplied, I would tell myself to talk more in depth during my interviews. Something I would have loved to have known is that everyone is there to help you if you're struggling and you're allowed to ask for help whenever you need it. I was inspired to join as I knew the company and loved what they were doing.