Civil Engineering Summer Placement Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement with TfL. I found the working environment friendly and was welcomed into the team from day one, and would definitely return to work here in the future.

I felt valued as a team member. After my introduction, on the first day in the office I was given my own project that I had ultimate responsibility for. Being given responsibility and receiving positive feedback on my work made me feel valued by my colleagues.

Throughout my placement I had all the support and guidance I required - both from management and the broader team, as well as from the network which I developed. My colleagues were happy to be asked questions at any time, and if a longer answer or more thought was required on a subject (and they didn't currently have the time to do so) they were always available to book meetings or to have informal conversations at a more convenient time.

Overall there was a good balance of work. Due to the nature of the project I was working on, there were certainly some days that were very busy and some days with not quite enough work, however these extremes were rare and for the vast majority of my placement I had the correct amount of work.

I was given a great deal of responsibility during my placement, being responsible for my own project and not being held to a stringent system of reporting at designated deadlines. This could be problematic for someone not experienced with managing their own time and being proactive in delivering updates to management, however due to the open-plan and friendly environment in the company it is likely that several quick conversations throughout the day will serve well in keeping the relevant stakeholders updated between scheduled meetings.

My placement improved my work ethic which allowed me to focus more and also work more efficiently on my return to University. My presentation of documents, Excel skills and presentation skills also improved greatly.

The overall atmosphere in the office was friendly and welcoming, there was always lots of activity and plenty of opportunities to get involved in other interesting projects in varying capacities.

The internship was very well set up with an introduction week spent with other placement students/interns prior to commencing work in the office and being given a project. There was help and support available from the internship organisers throughout.

The company allowed me to take several days out of the office in order to attend courses (paid for by the company). These courses included Microsoft Excel, project management and finance.

Future employment prospects with TfL are great - the graduate scheme lasts for 3 years (open to MEng/equivalent) and allows the graduate to move between placements which contribute the necessary experience towards applying for chartered status.

There is a very good social scene between placement students and graduates. As TfL is a large company with many premises I can't comment on all of them, however in my experience there was a good social scene with colleagues and I was invited out on several occasions.

London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to live and socialise in. That said, the free travel granted by TfL goes a good way to reducing the cost of living and socialising in London.

There were lots of opportunities outside of work, such as talks and lectures relating to the railway, social events and sporting events.