Industrial Trainee Review

On a day-to-day basis I was involved in several tasks for different projects, where I produced reports, technical notes, calculations (such as for pumps, pipework, etc) and communicating with clients as well as contractors. I worked closely with my line manager and resource manager to ensure my work output was of high quality and they provided good feedback to help my development as an engineer.

My communication skills have developed due to the opportunity of being the main point of contact between the company and pump suppliers, as well as working closely with the client and contractor of a project. My organisational and time management skills have also greatly developed due to the several tasks appointed to me. This allowed me to become flexible when any new urgent task was given to me or if deadlines changed.

Yes, I was given a lot of responsibility during my placement, and I was allowed to work both independently and as part of a team. This was frightening at first, as I realised the importance of the quality of the work I produced, but it allowed me to further develop and I was supported throughout. I also have a full understanding of what a senior mechanical engineer does on a day to day basis.

I was given a lot of support throughout my placement. In the beginning, I was supervised more due to my lack of experience, but as the placement went on, I was given more independence, where my work was checked once I finalised it. Additionally, if I had any questions, senior engineers would be quick to respond to them.

This is a very friendly company, where it was clear to me from my first day that they highly value work-life balance. Everyone in the team is keen to get to know each other, and they are very understanding about personal issues. There are several activities outside of work so employees can get to know one another better.

I greatly enjoyed my placement due to the variety of tasks, the friendliness of the team and the ability to learn something new each day. I would highly recommend this placement as you are truly welcomed into the team and given a lot of responsibility, allowing your growth as an engineer.

Yes

Truly research the company and their values to see if they align with yours as their employees do behave in a way that reflects the values of the company. Additionally, research the sector you want to get into, because the projects at this company do contribute to the community and so it is good to have passionate engineers within the firm.