What attracted you to 3M in the first place?
I wasn’t sure which sort of company or industry I wanted to work in, and 3M has such a large mix it looked a good way to experience a real variety. Their R&D portfolio is also very impressive and as a creative engineer this was very attractive to me.
What's your role at 3M?
I’m located in the Software, Electronics, and Hard-goods laboratory (SE&HL) which does a lot of the prototyping and design for all the 3M divisions. My work's been a broad spectrum of projects. I’ve been given responsibility for my projects and in general work at a similar level to the other engineers in the team.
What's life been like at 3M?
It’s been thoroughly enjoyable. 3M has a relaxed culture that’s nice to be part of. I’ve been under pressure at times and certain projects proved quite stressful, but I’ve enjoyed every bit of it and my ability and confidence is leagues above what it was when I started. My team has gone beyond the call of duty in regards to the support they have given, and from what I can see other teams all have a similar attitude. To sum it up, you do real work with real importance and that comes with pressure. But the team is always there to help you when you need it.
What are you looking forward to in the future?
I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into my final year project. On the job I’ve learnt some key skills managing different workloads and projects, so I think my university work is only going to improve from now on. It was a well-needed break from academia, but I feel refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of my degree, and will approach the harder years to come with a much better attitude.
Why would you recommend 3M to fellow students?
If like me, you’re the type of person who learns best by doing, and is willing to get stuck into every opportunity that comes around, you will leave 3M twice the engineer as you were when you joined. From a more general perspective, they run a development programme for all IP students and recent graduates across all job functions and you interact a lot with the student community. They provide opportunities to progress every skill imaginable, from presenting and communication to highly technical skills; I’ve even done landscaping for charity. If the opportunity does arise I will certainly return to work here after graduation, and I can’t imagine why anybody would dislike working at 3M.
