Performance Systems & Integration Engineer (Machine Design & Development Placement title) Review

Very much so. Although different to expected with regards to content (I expected to be doing more CAD, less testing etc.) my position within the company has greatly improved my electrical and electronic knowledge and allowed me to spend many hours operating Caterpillar Machinery.

I'm not sure that it could be better as far as a relatively small stay goes. Here for a year and I have been on weekends away, nights out, to sports games and to different countries with colleagues and superiors. I feel respected as a valued employee rather than a work experience tea boy.

My supervisor provided enough information to complete work while encouraging initiative and independent thinking. My manager provided significant input and advice towards my future career and development.

I have always had a number of work assignments, so if one thing was finished or if I was waiting on components for one piece, I could always do another. This was not only good for timekeeping experience, but also because it was easy to swap between work if one project was wearing you down. This time away from that project, operating machines or doing other work, often allowed for a fresh perspective on returning to it.

Again, I was trusted as a full time employee for the most part and was given responsibilities as a professional engineer would be. Some examples: I was sent to Croatia with limited support available via telephone to maintain machines, trusted to operate a range of Caterpillar machinery on and off the Desford site and trusted to represent the company in various situations.

Although I would consider myself to have had plenty of work experience before coming to Caterpillar, working in a professional environment such as this seems vital to understand what going into engineering is all about. I have worked with many different people from a number of backgrounds, at various levels of management and from a mixture of locations around the globe. I have seen the material supplied, the components manufactured, the parts assembled, the products sold and the customer reaction first hand through the introduction of a new generation of Caterpillar machinery. And that is without mentioning the skills gained and operational hours spent at the test yard....

For most of the year, my time was spent out of the office and on machines testing and troubleshooting component and software features. Although friendly and comfortable, to me it is still an office and I prefer to be out and about.

On the most part very well organised.

After visiting many Caterpillar facilities in the UK with the graduates at Caterpillar and completing training courses for various areas, it's safe to say that a fair amount has been invested.

Various reviews and progress checks throughout the year have ensured that I knew where management expected me to be and what was thought of my performance. I have been offered I summer placement for next year and a place on the graduate scheme for the year after that.

Reasonable with the graduates, very good with the other placement student, who has very similar interests. We have been able to work together on various occasions. There will be more placement students in future so this will improve even further. Good social with most employees due to fairly regular nights out and sports.

I stayed in Loughborough with student friends, so not indicative of the close area of Desford or Leicester, however Loughborough student accommodation it outrageously priced compared to the non student accommodation in the area. Socialising is expensive but probably the same as any other student biased area. Pricey for a small town. I certainly feel that anyone without financial support from parents would struggle massively on the paltry amounts (or outrageous university expenses incurred) offered by student loans.

Not sure about this as I tend to go out in Loughborough. Leicester is supposed to be good though.

Plenty, charity events, sports events etc