Product Engineer Review

Really enjoyed the work I was doing - definitely a insight into what real engineering is all about, and felt m,y work was investigative and highly valued by my manager, supervisor, and other people in the company reviewing my work

I felt that the work I was doing was useful and wasn't menial tasks. I have helped run tests and devise test plans that are critical to the project, and had input in meetings on potential showstopping issues. I feel like I was relied on for the project rather than a burden.

Everyone that I have come across in the company has been really helpful and willing to impart knowledge. I had weekly meetings with my supervisor to direct my work, and both my manager and supervisor have helped me define projects and reviewed work done to make sure I was going in the correct direction at all times.

It was very hit and miss to how busy I was - one minute I could have minimal to do and have to make work for myself, and the next i would have a load of work that had just hit the fan - I think it was mainly to do with the project I was working on and how busy the other members of the team were to assist me in certain aspects of my work. I don't think you can expect to be flat out all the time, and I don't think I would want to be either as a placement.

I was given a Six Sigma project to work on throughout my placement which I should see to completion. I had a team which I managed and delegated work to- it was a brilliant experience and really helped prepare for my final year project. In my day to day work it ranged from menial tasks to fairly high level stuff that would be p[resented to the higher ranks of the company- but it was good to get a mix of responsibility there in that respect.

The experience has no doubt helped for my final year- I'm itchign to get started on my final year project with the new tools I have learned here, as well as ProE experience. The main thing I have learned though is time management and learning to meet strict deadlines. I'm sure this will help in my final year and make the whole year less stressful which I'm looking forward to!

I wouldn't say the fun never stopped but it was a professional environment- people got on with their work. I wouldn't say this was a bad thing, it left me to do what I needed to do and wasnt distracting. I wouldn't say it was dull either, our team had a laugh in the office and regularly went out for meals and nights out.

In terms of my placement I was handled very well, but more to the credit of my team in engineering rather than HR. From seeing other summer placements and work experience people come and go also, it was up to me or other people in the team to create tasks for them, and being dumped by HR rather than having a few weeks notice as to when they would be coming and potentially what to do with them/what skill level they were. Personally I have had an awesome placement, but i would feel that down to engineering department rather than HR helping all that much.

I have been on a lot of training courses whilst I've been here at the companies expense, and have been on Six Sigma training which is normally reserved for graduates, which has been invaluable and I can't thank the company enough for it really!

Hopefully with the experience I have gained, getting a job after university shouldn't be a huge problem- sitting in on interviews halfway through the year of prospective graduates, the ones that had done summer/year placements with Cummins previously were a cut above the rest. I am also doing a Final Year Project for the company which I feel will benefit me massively.

I found I got on with about half the placement students, the rest kept themselves to themselves. I got on with my supervisor really well, and with other people in the company through mountain biking, and went out on midweek rides with colleagues and other placements.

Cheap cost of living was on the cards up north, but don't leave getting your accommodation too late! I got mine in June and got royally ripped off for a small studio flat- admittedly that was my fault but definitely would advise getting in early with accommodation to stop that happening.

With Manchester/Sheffield/Leeds within easy access, I got out a fair bit. Never really went out in Huddersfield, just with work to a few pubs. Leeds and Manchester have an awesome scene for gigs/dj nights, so managed to get out quite a bit.

There was mountain bike rides every Thursday which I managed to get involved in and get to know more than the people in my office which was good. I also took up climbing a fair bit whilst there and went with a few people from work fairly regularly so I would say there's a fair amount that goes on outside work.