Test Engineer Intern Review

My role involves working within the Flotherm main application and the MCAD pre-processing tools. Activities involve testing specific features and identifying, reporting and retesting bugs as and when they occur. I work with the team to manage our workload in project management software, JIRA, and liaise with stakeholders on progress and requirements. I have been involved in test automation, scripting, and running performance tests. I have also been involved in helping to create product training and marketing material.

The way I approach work has changed greatly after completing my year in industry. After a year of working using agile management methodologies and sticking to short achievable deadlines in sprints, I feel as though I am better prepared in terms of not feeling overwhelmed with the high workload I have at university. Communicating and working with professional people in a hard working environment has not only increased my technical knowledge but has also enlightened me to how effective communication and the transfer of technical knowledge is vital to achieving success within a team. I also have been educated on effective ways to reflect on team progress and suggest improvements on how the team operates. The role itself has developed many skills ranging from attention to detail, resilience and organizational skills. However more than anything else, the responsibility and trust that has been placed on me in this role has greatly increased my confidence.

As a Quality Assured Engineer it was my role to check whether the software complies with the requirements. During my placement year I was given true responsibility for my role. The placement begins with a six week handover period where you work closely with last years intern whose position you will be taking over. As the weeks progress and confidence is built, the responsibility is transferred from the previous intern to yourself. This way, you are gradually introduced to the role before taking on full responsibility.

Support and guidance was readily available to me on a daily basis. If I needed specific technical support relating to the work I was completing, developers and other QA Engineers were always keen to help. Daily team meeting where updates were given on progress also provided a great opportunity to seek support and guidance if needed. Support was also available relating to workload or any personal issues through communication with my line manager. Regular one-to-one meetings meant that any concerns I had were listened to and acted upon.

When starting the placement, the company culture really made it easy for me to fit into the role. Even though there was still some concerns regarding covid, we safely participated in plenty of activities ranging from mini golf, football and meals out together. There is a friendly atmosphere in the office as well as a hard working culture within the team. The team is ambitious in the targets we set for each product release and the team gives the upmost effort in order to achieve these goals.

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year and the skills I have developed have not only prepared me for my future work at university but also developed me as a person. Working in a professional environment and learning from other experienced engineers has completely changed the way I approach and carry out my work. Seeing the possible opportunities that are available to be after university greatly has boosted my motivation on achieving the best I can in the next academic year.

Yes

The biggest piece of advice I would give to others when applying to Siemens is understand what your role involves and demonstrate why you would be good for that role. It is important before you apply that you understand what products you will be using and what skills are required to carry out the role successfully. Therefore take time on educating yourself about the industry as well as understanding Siemens and its values as a company.