Mechanical Industrial Placement Review

Item: Mechanical Industrial Placement at BAE Systems
Rating: 4.6
Author: Anonymous

at BAE Systems

Placement (10 Months+)

Mechanical Engineering

Rochester, Kent

Review Submitted: May 2026

Overall Rating

4.6 /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!

5/5 - Overview of Role

4.5/5 - Skills Development

4.5/5 - Support and Guidance

4.5/5 - Company Culture

5/5 - Overall Experience

5/5 - Future Career Prospects

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis.

Mechanical Design Engineer:
- mechanical design work on CAD
- technical drawing review and creation
- thermal/structural analysis on existing systems
- product lifecycle management

Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?

When I first joined I was paired with more senior engineers so I could learn the ropes, but as my knowledge grew and I build trust with the team, I was gradually given more outright 'work'. Within 2-3 months of being within the team I felt like any other member; with my own autonomy, tasks and responsibilites.

Please rate how meaningful the work you were doing was

5/5

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills, or developed your existing skills?

- advanced use of CAD software
- creating professional technical drawings for parts and assemblies
- managing a product through its lifecycle
- mechanical design (considering method of manufacture, GD&T, etc.)

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?

4/5

Please rate how these skills have helped you in your career development

5/5

Support and Guidance

How much support and guidance did you receive during your placement / internship?

Members of my team were always available to answers any questions I had or challenge me on a design choice. I never felt embarrassed to ask questions and receive support.

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?

Very chill, lots of socialising and talking alongside work. Regularly socialised with team and wider network outside work on a range of activities. For work itself, always felt as though quality over quantity was desired; so my technical abilities have developed massively without feeling pressured by stringent deadlines.

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?

Undertaking my placement was one of the best decisions I have made thus far. I have developed so much not only in a technical sense but also my soft-skills. I hope to come back as a graduate and continue developing.

Please rate your level of enjoyment on your placement / internship

5/5

Please rate how your experience met your expectations

5/5

Recommendations & Advice

Would you recommend BAE Systems to a friend?

Yes

What advice would you give to others applying to BAE Systems

As much as technical experience is brilliant, it's equally if not more important to show a well-rounded character. Soft-skills and personability are massively valued and being able to demonstrate those will make you stand out for more than a technically complex piece of experience.