Manufacturing Engineering Intern Review

Despite not being placed in the area of engineering that I had applied to I was given a multitude of interesting a challenging tasks.

The working environment created by in the office was very good with a an easy camaraderie being created with my colleagues. They were also highly supportive when requests were made to them and were happy to use my skills to help them resolve some issues or just get some more work done.

A lot of support was provided by my supervisors and manager. They had given me some large responsibilities and were always there when I started feeling a little swamped.

Due to some projects being terminated during my placement there was the odd occasion where I was a little short on things to do, but this was rare and I could usually find the odd bit of work to fill the time by asking around the office if anyone required some assistance.

Rolls-Royce aren't afraid to give significant responsibilities to their interns. I was given the lead on a research and development project which involved presenting my findings and recommendations to very senior engineers, who were international leaders in their fields, as well as giving the presentation for the formal review that the company undertakes of such work.

Unfortunately I was placed in the wrong area of engineering which provided little benefit for the content of my degree. However this was more than compensated for by an increased understanding of what type of engineering that I might like to do as a professional. I also learned a lot about organisation and time management which should prove invaluable in the knowledge acquisition that university is primarily about.

The general atmosphere was relaxed and supportive, with lots of friendly chatter, though when work was being discussed people would talk seriously.

Access to e-mail and various other IT was not ready until the end of the first week to the start of the second week and there were multiple instances of interns having applied for specific placement ending up in an entirely different area of engineering. The review system for personal development was also slightly confused with us being told it was an online process then being told that it was both online and a word document before finally being told that it was actually a just a word document.

There are opportunities available for personal development and training, but beyond the basic requirements there was little encouragement to take any personal development truing that was more than an online document. There was plenty available and the opportunity to undertake them is there. You just have to do it yourself.

I am uncertain I wish to go into the areas of engineering offered by Rolls-Royce otherwise I would be dead-set to return.

There was a pub crawl with people from the office every few months and the grads, interns and apprentices association provided a regular stream of events to attend of a very varied and interesting nature.

Having moved from Bath to Derby the cost of living was extraordinarily cheap and would be even cheaper relative to London.

I cannot comment much on this, however there was a good club for fans of the heavier form of alternative music as well as two venues which provided a regular supply of live bands to watch from these scenes too.

The apprentice, graduate and interns association provided a regular stream of events, 1 or two per month, varying from go-karting and sky diving, to pub crawls and paint balling.