Manufacturing Process Engineering Intern Review

My day-to-day role included taking responsibility for a section of the process, where I undertook the tracking and reporting of performance (daily, weekly, and monthly) - following this, I was responsible for identifying and mitigating process bottlenecks through the delivery of preventative measures and improvement projects.

I was handed significant responsibility, responsible for a process section important to plant performance. This had both benefits and drawbacks, where I found myself gaining experience beyond that of an intern and growing as a result.
The main drawback was the pressure on myself to learn this section quickly and perform. I was given a two-week handover from the previous intern and reported to a manager who wasn't involved in my section. A highly stressful experience where I felt my mental health suffer.

Yes - I developed a wide range of skills.
Key examples include:
- Process Improvement
- Data Analysis
- Public Speaking & Professional Communication

The support received across the placement was mixed. Generally, everyone is happy to help - but I found that the rate at which engineers rotate between roles within the factory left certain areas understaffed, impacting the ability to get help when you require more than to ask a 'quick' question.
My direct manager for the first 9 months of the placement was not responsible for the same process area, he did a very good job considering his workload, however, with alternate responsibilities I found it especially hard to progress within the early stages of the role.
The low rating towards my line manager doesn't reflect him, but the fact that he was not able to directly help as a result of his responsibility area.

The office culture was very friendly, and everyone in the wider teams was easy to talk to and happy to help. I've come away from the placement having made many good friends. The company hosts events throughout the year and has lots of opportunities to get involved.
As with many manufacturing facilities, it slacks a little bit when it comes to the atmosphere in the control room with operators. JDE had recently undergone some medium-scale strikes & layoffs, cutting the pension scheme of the operators. This left a fairly negative culture in these areas, with a lot of complaining and making it difficult to integrate and work with these teams early on. There were a few situations where I got a rough and verbally hostile reaction to doing my job.

Overall, I have mixed feelings towards my internship experience.
My growth as an engineer was remarkable, the high level of responsibility and pressure placed upon me was definitely effective in pushing me and accelerating my growth as an engineer. Additionally, I made lots of great friends and had fun activities and conversations day-to-day.
With this being said, the stress placed upon me made it hard to enjoy the position. I felt more anxious than I ever had before, facing constant pressure to perform in a role completely new to me and without much direct support. If I had more support in the early stages of my placement I know I would feel very positive towards the experience.
The other process interns in the role were supported to a greater extent and enjoyed the role as a result. I could only recommend this role if it was a guarantee that this level of support was consistent.

No