Engineering Placement Student Review

The work was fairly interesting at times but not always. The work did not really relate to my degree but did pick up some valuable skills which will help me in the future.

Colleagues are very friendly and make you feel part of the team. I felt I had a role within the team and that my role was valuable to the projects that I was working on.

Support and guidance at NATS is excellent, they have a list of training courses that are compulsory whilst on your years placement, such as presentation skills. Monthly or sometimes weekly meetings with manager to discuss objectives and what I want to get out of the placement.

Some days I would be really busy to the point of working overtime then other days I would struggle to find work to fill the full 7 hours. Depends on the project and your manager.

One of my projects I was given high responsibility, which involved project management. However, my other project I was given less responsibility, again depends on your manager.

Did not really develop any skill that will help me academically as the work invovled was not related to my degree. However, I did pick up some good skills such as presentation skills, organisational skills, project management skills and general people management and people skills which I know will help my later on in my career and perhaps in my group design project.

Was a good balance of work and play. Work was getting done but in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

NATS as a pretty good structure to its placement scheme and it is clear what is expected and what is to be done.

I went on several courses, not just the ones that were compulsory for being on the placement scheme but I went on a work package management course which helped me perform one of my roles in one of my projects.

I am unsure yet of what my prospects are within the organisation.

Good bunch of placement students and direct entry graduates to go and socialise with.

Depends where you lived but I found it much cheaper than where I was renting at university and much nicer accommodation too.

Have portsmouth and southampton to choose from and both have good nightlife.

There is charity fun raising, sports, placement and graduate recruitment to get involved in. There is also an opportunity to get involved in organising a Away day for the placement and graduate students. I was involved in this and it was fun and very different to the work I was doing in NATS.