Mechanical Project Coordinator Review

For the first part of my placement, I was involved in the development and improvement of manufacturing equipment. This included designing upgrade components using CAD software and producing rapid prototypes through 3D printing to support testing. My day-to-day responsibilities involved creating and refining designs, manufacturing prototype parts, conducting trials, and supporting the implementation of engineering improvements.
Following an organisational restructuring, the focus of my placement evolved, and I proactively sought opportunities in project management and other engineering functions. This broadened my experience beyond design and prototyping, allowing me to contribute to project coordination, product development, testing, and process improvement activities. As a result, my role became increasingly varied, requiring collaboration with multidisciplinary teams, stakeholder engagement, technical problem-solving, and the management of engineering tasks and projects.

I was given limited responsibility during the manufacturing-focused portion of my placement. Despite actively asking for additional work and opportunities to take on greater ownership, the tasks available to me were often limited in scope. Following the organisational restructuring, I largely had to identify and pursue new work opportunities independently, which meant my time was spread across a range of different projects rather than allowing me to take increasing responsibility within a single long-term project.

I developed my knowledge of FMCG manufacturing processes and gained a broader understanding of how engineering projects support product development and production. I also strengthened my CAD design and 3D printing skills through designing, prototyping, and testing components, while developing project management skills through coordinating tasks, working with stakeholders, and supporting multiple engineering projects.

Throughout my placement, I benefited from the willingness of colleagues across the business to answer questions, offer advice, and share their expertise. By building connections with different teams, I was able to gain exposure to a wide range of projects and areas of engineering.
Following organisational changes, however, there was less structure around my role, and I was responsible for finding new opportunities and determining where I could add value. As a result, much of my development came from taking the initiative to approach people, understand their work, and seek out projects. There was not much communication between my line manager and the placement team after the organisational changes to ensure my placement had minimal disruption.

BAT has a diverse and inclusive culture, providing opportunities to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and functions. One aspect I particularly valued was how approachable senior leaders were, making it relatively easy to build networks beyond my immediate role. I also found that many employees were willing to give their time to support placement students, offering advice, guidance, and opportunities to get involved in different areas of the business.
While my overall experience was positive, there were occasions where communication between HR and the placement programme was unclear, which impacted parts of my placement experience. Despite this, the general atmosphere was collaborative and welcoming, and I found most colleagues eager to help and support my development.

I enjoyed the manufacturing aspects of my placement the most, particularly the opportunity to work hands-on with equipment and gain practical experience within a fast-moving FMCG environment. These experiences helped me develop both my technical skills and my understanding of how manufacturing operations support product development. I also enjoyed my time working with the project management side of BAT.
However, organisational changes significantly affected my overall experience and reduced the opportunities available to me during the latter half of my placement. The level of support and direction decreased, requiring me to find work opportunities independently, which limited my ability to build experience within a single area over an extended period.
I was also disappointed by the communication surrounding the Global Graduate Scheme. I was informed at the start of my placement that this would be a potential opportunity following completion of the year. However, despite it being known relatively early that engineering students would not be eligible, this was not communicated to me until the final weeks of my placement. Earlier and clearer communication would have allowed me to better understand my options and plan accordingly.
Overall, while there were aspects of the placement that I found frustrating, I gained valuable industry experience, developed my technical and professional skills, and learned how to adapt to changing circumstances in a large organisation.

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