Summer Student Placement - Aerospace Review

I enjoyed my placement with Atkins very much as it let me gain an insight into the world of a large, world leading engineering consultancy and taught me how to conduct yourself in the work place. I was engaged in very interesting work which was suited to my undergraduate knowledge and which I found interesting on a day to day basis.

I felt very valued by colleagues. Although only at an early stage in my university program, I was treated as an equal and always included in both work and extracurricular activities, when organised. The good work that I did was praised and any areas that needed improving were done so in a critical but constructive matter, helping me to get a feel of how to properly conduct yourself in the work place.

I was in constant contact with my supervisor and line manager, and they would always give assistance when needed, both in work related issues and matters concerning pay, security in the office, HR related issues etc. My supervisor helped me to get a lot out of the project I was involved with, which helped me to feel that my placement had been very worthwhile and my line manager was a good point of contact, who I felt I could approach with ease.

Being involved in a continuous development project allowed a certain degree of freedom and experimentation with the tasks that I was assigned. Although guidance and constructive criticism were always there when asked for, I was able to proceed with my tasks with plenty of time to spare, therefore complete them to a high level and on time, but rarely felt like I didn't have enough to work on. In this regard I felt the placement differed from a normal office experience.

I was given a lot of responsibility, both in organising myself with matters such as pay and HR, and also in the work that was being done. For example, I was tasked with helping to deliver a presentation for a large client, which could then lead to heightened interest in the project and more work secured for the business, and this was done mainly unsupervised, so it had to be to a high standard and delivered on time.

I believe that this placement has given me many skills with which I can then go on to use in my degree work, help me to interact with people in a more professional way when needed and also to increase my chances of gaining another placement in the future. It will also help me to be a more confident speaker, presenter and support my own decisions when I make them.

The atmosphere was fairly quiet for a big office, but at the same time it never felt daunting. All staff, both those I worked with and those I didn't, were always friendly and happy to help if ever needed. There were always events that were advertised and easy to get involved with and the feeling was that everyone was working in a efficient and professional manner, and all for the good of the company as a whole.

Overall the placement was well organised, however at times it felt like some decisions regarding myself had been made very last minute, and were quite rushed, making the transition to a job difficult. Apart from this the placement was structured very well and I enjoyed it greatly. The tasks that were set out before me were always very clear and I knew what had to be done, and events out of work were clearly organised and dates/times easily accessible.

I believe the company invested in me well as an employee and a university undergraduate. I was granted certain software packages on my office computer which allowed to get the work done well and on time, and a bus pass was provided that supplied free travel to and from work everyday. As well as this, the multiple events I was invited to and the good amount of leave available helped me feel like a valued member of the team. The skills I have learnt that can be taken onto my degree also make me feel that the company invested well in my placement.

Future employment prospects are very appealing, especially as the scope to move around the business into different sectors, allowing a greater insight into the company as a whole, is great. The way I have been treated and the interesting work that I have been involved with has really made the placement worthwhile and I would like to come back in the future, after learning more at university, and hopefully working on more interesting projects.

There were many activities to get involved with outside of the office, including multiple sports clubs, parties, fundraising events and free use of a local gym. I feel that there were more activities and opportunities available than other large businesses I have heard of, and this helped to make the office feel like a friendly and welcoming environment.