Industrial Trainee Structural Engineer Review

I work on one or two projects at a time, in a team of structural engineers. I will be given independent work by a senior engineer, can ask any member of my team for help or advice, and when it is completed it is reviewed. In this process I often communicate with other internal and external teams. At major stages through the design I present my work for project manager review.

I have greatly developed the hand analysis techniques I learnt at university and feel I understand in a lot more depth and breadth the material I learnt there. I have also been able to learn computational analysis with programmes I didn't have access to at university. My professional communication and confidence have greatly improved.

Yes, I felt I independently had important work that mattered to the project. I was in charge of the decisions I made in the design and I was the one who justified them in meetings with senior members of the team.

The technical support and guidance was amazing, there is always someone to ask questions to and who has the time to explain concepts. I would have liked to have more general guidance - someone to talk to about how I was doing, my stress levels etc.

Very friendly and helpful. More senior and junior members of the team get on well and are interested in what everyone else is doing. People always chat to each other and care about each others general well being.

To a great extent. I learnt so much, had such a wide range of learning opportunities. The team ensured I was exposed to a variety of projects, and that I was engaged and supported. They organised my work around my major goals. I felt welcome and one of the team from quite early on.

Yes

Think about what you want to get out of this experience and make it known to people. They will work their hardest to ensure you can achieve those goals. Try and put yourself out there, volunteer for the jobs that interest you and ask people questions about what they are working on and how it is going.