E&P Summer Intern Review

Supporting the electrical engineers on a range of active projects. Your work and time will be billed to clients such as network rail, HS2, and Transport for Greater Manchester. Projects and types of work vary significantly. As an example, I drew technical drawings, performed cable calculations, and attended interdisciplinary design meetings, with the opportunity to interact with clients. There is no set structure so work will vary depending on what projects are running and what stage they are currently at.

Yes. There is no set structure to the placement meaning it is very varied so you get exposed to a lot of opportunities. You are encouraged to manage your own time so you quickly learn to evaluate your workload. A lot of acronyms and technical language are used, but this can be picked up quite quickly. I read and wrote several reports, so developed my writing ability with a more technical tone, which is quite different from research papers.

Yes. You are trusted to complete work independently. I completed work for various engineers, some from different offices, so I was trusted to maintain a high standard at all times - whilst making my own decisions as to how the work should be completed. Hybrid working meant that on days not in the office, you were not constantly being checked on. I worked on multiple projects at a time and was encouraged to manage my own time accordingly.

Everyone was very open and willing to give time and help whenever needed. I was encouraged to talk to others in the office to learn more about the other divisions as well as other disciplines within rail and also what happens in more senior roles. There was little set training for software, but the team was always willing to give advice however, you were encouraged to take your time and work it out for yourself.

Motts as a company was very welcoming and supportive, which included running events outside of work. However, hybrid working meant that the office was often quiet and lacking a certain energy. Visiting the central Manchester office, however, was significantly busier and had a younger average age. A very strict safety culture is enforced, and although this is a good thing, is taken too far and makes it difficult for even full-time engineers to visit site, so expect a full-time office job.

Overall, I have enjoyed my placement. The company and my direct team have a great culture that really supports the individual. Workloads are realistic and there is no internal competition (for promotion etc.) so everyone is willing to help out. However, I did not find the work overly engaging. I believe this is partly due to the fact that many projects were beginning to wind down, so I wasn't given the opportunity to make decisions or take ownership of a significant area of work.

Yes

For the interview, do not worry about trying to learn technical knowledge - the interviewers are not interested as all of that will be covered in training and on the job. They want to see someone who is interesting. Go with opinions, be willing to talk about your hobbies, and engage with them during the interview. The interview is assed by the engineers of the team that you would be placed in, so make a good impression, be relaxed and have a good time.