Industrial Placement Student Review

I very much enjoyed my placement. In particular I enjoyed getting involved in key project roles and integrating amongst leaders within industry. Project work was always challenging but engaging, and at times involved multiple areas of engineering and/or design. There were plenty of opportunities to get involved in different ways within the office community, whether it be project based or office orientated work.

The community ethics amongst employees at the Derby office of which I was based was exceptional; everyone was friendly, welcoming and happy to share their knowledge. This was present across all ages and ranges of expertise, it subsequently helped me to settle and become comfortable in my environment. During project work I also felt entrusted and respected to complete my work independently, however wherever I needed support they were always happy to help.

Communicating with my manager/supervisor was simple and always resulted in my problem/query being resolved. However, everyone at the office was welcoming and helpful, and if I had other questions they were always happy to help wherever possible. During my various project roles, I was always given plenty of support where I needed it. This was also helped by the regular hosting of meetings, so developments and challenges could be discussed amongst the whole group.

During projects, I was saturated with work and felt involved and equal within project teams. I also felt the work was worthwhile to the aims of the project, which motivated me further. I was also learning a great deal during these projects, regarding subjects of engineering that I was interested in and that would push me and challenge me. There were periods where work was in short supply, but this was a time for patience and pro-activity, during which time I made myself busy by finding external work or focusing on my personal development.

At times I was entrusted with important work within projects, that was able to push my boundaries and continue to develop my learning and skills as an engineer. I never felt like I was being handed the simple task, simply because I was the placement student; I always felt extremely trusted and valued by my supervisors. I was also handed responsibilities outside of work, within the office community. This was a fantastic experience, as I feel the management of this responsibility tested my handling of time management and resource handling. During my year, I handled many of these responsibilities, be it project or office related; it has subsequently motivated me to get involved in the responsibilities during my third year at university.

The skills and knowledge I developed during my year in industry with Atkins have made me into an engineer that is aware of real world engineering implications. I have also been exposed to and have improved in writing industry standard reports, scoping calculations and modelling. I will carry all of this expertise forward, also with new technical knowledge developed, to become a more mature and improved engineer and student.

The atmosphere within the office was friendly, clean and professional. Everyone was very involved in the project work they were completing, which meant the office was often quiet yet buzzed with thought. I was very comfortable in my office environment; everything I needed was accessible and readily available to me when I needed it. It was also the sort of office where you felt comfortable in all areas and that everyone, given you needed them, were approachable.

The organisation on Atkins part was extremely good, thanks to a very helpful Human Resources department that were readily available whenever required. That and the support of my supervisor, I always felt like the company knew where I was in my placement. On the other hand, there was also an aspect of independent working and organisation with my university, but Atkins/my supervisor were very supportive and respectful in helping me ensure my development and work was organised and supervised.

The training I received there was exceptional, both for projects and for extra curricular activities. I had the privilege of being included in many graduate development opportunities, training presentations and other learning opportunities. Atkins have a fantastic online learning portal, which I was encouraged to use during my first month while I was being resourced to projects. I was also allowed to get involved with training courses that would help me develop technical knowledge that I could apply to project work. Overall the resource Atkins invested in me was excellent, and was rather surprising.

Given the opportunity to return to the company, whether it be temporary (another placement) or permanent, I would return. Atkins have a particularly appealing graduate scheme, of which would be a fantastic opportunity to enable me to develop further towards chartership after graduating. Given the work opportunities I have been offered during my placement and the brilliant office environment, I will certainly apply to the company.

I found a perfect social balance at the office I worked at. Atkins in particular have a brilliant graduate community, which supported me during my year placement. I felt integrated amongst graduates as well as all the other employees, this was particularly helped by regular sports and social events that were attended by junior and senior staff alike. This meant you quickly had the opportunity to get to know everyone.

During me year placement, I was situated in Derby, which in terms of accommodation, i.e. rent, bills, groceries and other commodities, etc. was relatively cheap. Of my monthly pay, I was able to do and purchase all the necessary things. This was largely due to the location; I feel the same pay placement in London would lead to a different lifestyle.

The nightlife/other entertainment facilities in and around Derby were surprisingly good. The 'intu' shopping centre has all the shops and restaurants for most people, equipped with a cinema. The city centre is also relatively compact, with most interesting venues located within 5-15 minute walks of each other. There is also something for everyone, from riverside pubs to city centre nightclubs and bars.

There were numerous opportunities to get involved, both at work in the office and outside of work with collages. At Atkins there were monthly opportunities to take part in a Sports and Social event, which ranged from go-karting to archery. There were also regularly weekly clubs, like football, climbing and cricket (weather dependent). There were also many opportunities to take part in graduate events, such as camping trips, or client site visits.