Mechanical Engineer Placement Student Review

I joined Mott MacDonald as a mechanical engineering placement student in the rail division, specifically working with the tunnel systems team. I am a member of both the tunnel ventilation team and the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) team, having had the opportunity to rotate between them. As Mott MacDonald is a consultancy firm, the nature of our work primarily involves studies, design, and testing of existing and potential infrastructure. On a day-to-day basis, my experiences vary because they depend on the project I’m working on and the role assigned to me. However, each project presents different obstacles, which makes the work interesting, challenging, and engaging.

Yes, I was given responsibility during my placement, as I was assigned to large-scale projects that were important to the company. I was tasked with completing certain crucial tasks. Despite having a lot of responsibility, support and assistance were always available from the team.

I have learned and developed a wide range of important skills, including both soft and technical skills. The key skills I have developed are as follows:
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) using Ansys - understanding the CFD workflow.
1D simulation techniques.
Design management and coordination.
Effective communication skills.
Strong teamwork.

From the start of the placement, I received a lot of support and guidance regarding all aspects of work, ranging from office basics to technical support.

The company culture and general atmosphere were very professional. Throughout my time in the company, I never faced any problems with the company culture, and the atmosphere was always happy, friendly, and fun. We had a lot of social events and activities. Even though the workload could be high and put pressure on the staff, the work environment remained friendly, happy, and supportive.

I had several placement offers, but I feel that I am very lucky to have chosen the Mott MacDonald opportunity because I enjoyed and benefited from every single day during my placement. It exposed me to a lot of insightful technical aspects in our engineering consultancy world.

Yes