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Buro Happold

Infrastructure Summer Placement Review

at Buro Happold

Internship (1 Month+)

Civil Engineering

Bath

Review Submitted: September 2024

Overall Rating

4.4 /5

The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!

3/5 - Overview of Role
4.5/5 - Skills Development
4.5/5 - Support and Guidance
4.5/5 - Company Culture
4.5/5 - Overall Experience
4/5 - Future Career Prospects

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis.
I worked on several projects during my time at BH. With flexible working, I worked remotely 1-2 days a week and otherwise, came into the office everyday. I interacted with interns, graduates and seniors, gaining insight into the work they do. The work was mostly desk-based and I used softwares such as AutoCAD, Bluebeam and MS Excel. Some projects involved feasibility studies, technical design, and conceptual design.
Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?
I was given more responsibility on my placement than I anticipated. The projects I was working on were real and active works so I had to communicate with members in my team, in BH and even people outside of the company (external landscape architect we were working with). Some of the projects were sensitive so a lot of responsibility and professionalism was required.
Please rate how meaningful the work you were doing was
3/5

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills, or developed your existing skills?
I have learned how to use Bluebeam which is a good annotation and markup software. I developed a stronger understanding of AutoCAD which is useful for viewing plans and sections of infrastructure components. Working on several projects has allowed me to improve my time management and resource allocation skills. I have gotten better at communicating with my line manager throught my placement on any challenges I was facing.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
4/5
How would you rate your development of industry-specific skills during the experience?
5/5
How would you rate your development of personal / soft skills during the experience?
5/5
Please rate how these skills have helped you in your career development
4/5

Support and Guidance

How much support and guidance did you receive during your placement / internship?
My line manager was very supportive and I had regular chats with him about my work, progress and challenges. Many of the other senior members were very kind and helpful. The junior workers were also very nice and helped me with small issues and problems I encountered.
How would you rate the support and guidance from your line manager?
4/5
How would you rate the support and guidance from the wider team?
5/5

Company Culture

What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
Fairly relaxed. Many worked from home and dress code wasn't too strict. Despite BH being an international company, the office felt very personal and comforting, something you'd experience at a smaller company. The approach and standard to the work produced was very high however, with a lot of checking, guiding and collaboration.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the social opportunities?
5/5
How would you rate the diversity initiatives?
4/5
How would you rate the charity, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives?
4/5

Overall Experience

To what extent did you enjoy your placement / internship?
I had a great time with my placement. This is my first office-based role and it was quite difficult to adapt to but the support from the team was very helpful. The company is very social so I met many people and there were lots of activities to get involved in (football, badminton, socials, games etc.) The projects we worked on were interesting and complex.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on your placement / internship
4/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5

Future Career Prospects

Please rate the future employment prospects at Buro Happold
4/5

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend Buro Happold to a friend?
Yes
What advice would you give to others applying to Buro Happold
Make sure you know exactly which team you are applying for as there are many that can seem quite similar for a civil engineering student (infrastructure, water, structural, ground). Lots of people (myself included) misunderstand the differences of these disciplines and in the interview, they often ask you 'why infrastructure?' (for instance).
In This Review
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