Systems Design Engineer Review

It has provided me with very good experience and hands-on work. I have learned a lot about real world engineering and how a big company functions. The only negative thing of the job (not the placement) has been the IT, it was not as up-to-date as it should be.

Both people in positions above me (supervisor, chief engineers...) and team members, as well as people from other departments have been extremely supportive. There is a very good atmosphere and I have never been given reasons to hesitate to ask questions. If they are not extremely busy, people are willing to help you.

If I had any problems with the job in question they were always happy to take me through it and give me a hand. They were normally busy, but they were aware of the difficulties of starting a new job/internship for the first time in an engineering company and they provided me with support.

Very very busy, but I do not consider it a bad thing, I think it's better to have too many things and not enough time for all of them than to be wasting time waiting for work. Plus, if you have lots of tasks that also helps you develop your time-management skills.

Among other tasks, I was trusted to co-ordinate and investigate safety issues/concerns that can have a serious impact on the business if they are not addressed, or not investigated properly. I was given the ooportunity to manage my own work and was expected to deliver and obviously ask for assistance if I saw the issue needed escalation.

The practical experience of working during one whole year while you still haven't finished university is invaluable. The training I have received was rather specific for the company products/processes, it might not be as applicable to the outside world as the day-to-day experience. But the skills developed certainly are.

It depends, it was a very busy office, but there wasn't a party going on. People were generally nice and there was a relaxed atmosphere and appropriate jokes were certainly allowed (and welcomed), but obviously keeping professionalism, especially when external customers where in the office.

It was good, but it could have been better in terms of organisation from the management team and HR. Quite a bit of information (like who my first manager was) didn't reach me until almost the start date, and a rather similar thing for the end of my placement regarding the procedure for leaving the company. But the work side of it was well organised, in as much as I was working as part of the team.

I was given chances for training on different subjects, and also they were happy (and in fact encouraged) for me to take days out of the office to do volunteering.

I have expressed my willingness to do a graduate programme with them, and they will get back to interns at the end of the summer about it. It might require a further interview nearer the time (because of being away from the company for two years), but it certainly helps a lot having had an internship now.

There were about 30 interns during summer, and 12 during the rest of the year. We met for lunch and had some other free time activities together. We have a good relationship, in and outside of work.

It's not the cheapest (transport is rather expensive), but it could be worse, and it helps to be earning money as well.

Bristol is a busy city, and if you like going out there are definately plenty of places to go to. The student population is big, which also makes finding places for young people much easier.

The company has an association for all employees, but mainly aimed at apprentices, interns, graduates, etc. It is run by people from these groups, and there are frequent events that people can get involved with, and very varied (charity events, sports clubs and games, half marathons, brewery tours, dinners, parties...)