Summer Intern in Shared Services Review

It has been a rewarding experience working at BAE Systems and I have enjoyed my time here. I have not given it a perfect score as the function I was working within, I now feel, is not suitable for my abilities and interests.

I feel the length of the placement was too short to become a 'valued' member of the team I was working within and the fact that I was not working closely with them on any projects may have also contributed to that. However, they were very friendly and kind towards me from my first day.

My colleagues, particularly my line manager, were always on hand to provide any guidance I needed with the tasks I had been assigned.

In general, I found the environment a bit slow-paced but not because of the internship but the nature of the department. Also, I was a technically-oriented intern on a non-technical site so I found the environment less involving as I would have liked. The tasks I assigned required feedback from various people in the department which took some time to receive so I was left with some days of little activity.

The tasks I was assigned were largely individual even though so I felt I was given a lot of responsibility and this made me feel less like an intern and more a part of the company.

I feel like the commercial awareness and communication skills I have developed during this internship have made me a more employable person and I have gained valuable workplace experience. With regards to my degree, the technical expertise I developed here is unfortunately irrelevant to the field I have chosen to specialise. Nonetheless, it has broadened my range of skills.

The office was very quite and near empty on occasion which made it a dull environment.

Everything was set-up for me before I arrived - IT details, desk, tasks - which made settling in to begin work very easy.

With regards to my personal training and development, the internship has been very beneficial, mostly due to my colleagues' advice and guidance. Also, I had a few opportunities to attend skill development/training sessions.

Very appealing. Their ranges of schemes, particularly for graduates, allow you to travel, assume great responsibility and prepare you for leadership or managerial positions in the future which are a great incentive.

I found that I was the only intern on site so there was little opportunity to socialise with placement students apart from the end of internship conference. I didn't feel there was an active social scene amongst colleagues.

Neither extreme (cheap or expensive) hence a median score.

I don't think there's any nightlife around here but I didn't stay in the area for most weekends, so I could be mistaken.

Not really.