Manufacturing Engineer Review

by Caterpillar

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.8/5
  • The Role
    3.8
  • The Company
    3.6
  • The Culture
    4.1

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • I enjoyed the job because the work was varied, challenging and I had a good level of responsibility. My project was an important one to the company and I felt as though I was making an important contribution.

    4/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • My colleagues made me feel welcome and valued from day 1; not just in my office but on the shop floor also. Everyone was really friendly and seemed happy to have me around.

    5/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • I always felt as though I was supported. The guidance given by my supervisor was adequate enough to give me confidence to get on with the job, and I had a weekly meeting with my manager to discuss my progress and any issues. I felt I was supported on both a professional and personal level.

    4/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • Usually I had enough work to keep me occupied for about 5 hours out of 8 in a working day. There was plenty of opportunity for work shadowing or contributing in other areas though. The company was also happy for me to work on my university/company thesis during quieter times.

    3/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • I was given a good level of responsibility from day 1, but I was always supported too. I got to meet and deal with outside suppliers and manage a big section of the company budget.

    4/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • My personal and professional development was extremely well supported during my 6 months at Perkins. I gained numerous valuable skills which I can now relate to the rest of my degree, and my future career.

    4/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • The office was large and open-plan, with plenty of interaction and banter. Everyone got on with their work, yet if something funny happened, the whole office would have a laugh.

    5/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • From Day 1 I got the impression my managers were well organised and had a structured outline for what my placement would involve. This document was reviewed every couple of months.

    4/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • The company were willing to pay to let me participate in internal training schemes, for example Green Belt Six Sigma training. It's important to push this yourself though, because my manager was often too busy to devote time to finding suitable training for me.

    3/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Sports and Social Club

    National Travel

    Company Parties/Events

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Working from home
    4/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • I would consider taking a graduate job with Perkins Engines.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • Yes, since Perkins is a large company there were about 30 placement students on-site. We used the internal email system to organise social and sporting events at the evenings and weekends.

    5/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • Cost of living was pretty good. I had a houseshare in a new built house in the Hampton area, it was lovely and cost less than £300 per month including bills. The £14,000 salary was enough to live off and I managed to save.

    4/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • The Peterborough nightlife wasn't bad; there were numerous pubs and bars, and a few large clubs including Reflex and Liquid.

    4/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • Yes, my evenings were my own so I joined a number of sports and arts clubs in the local area. There was plenty going on.

    4/5
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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

Engineering

London

February 2008

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