Meet Roshan

At which university do you study and what subject?

I study chemical engineering at the University of Birmingham.

Why did you apply to the programme?

I wanted to gain industrial experience in the oil and gas industry and apply the knowledge I obtained at university to a diverse range of projects. Based on my research, Glencore appeared to be an ideal company to do this.

Why should students apply for the Industrial Placement Programme at Glencore?

So far my placement programme at Glencore has given me invaluable experience and exposure to a range of different projects in the Glencore oil assets department. Glencore is unique to other placements as there could be opportunity for students to travel internationally; which is a huge advantage.

Which Glencore team are you part of and what do they do?

I am working in the oil assets engineering team - who are responsible for managing all of Glencore’s oil assets across the world; such as storage terminals and refineries.

What is a typical week like in your role, eg typical activities and responsibilities?

During a typical week, I work on completing tasks for two or three different projects using a range of softwares: Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Aspen HYSYS, and AutoCAD. Sometimes I sit in on meetings for other projects that I’m not involved in to gain further exposure to Glencore Oil.

What was the induction phase like at Glencore?

The induction phase was useful, as not only was I given talks from the HR and facilities team on protocols and general admin, myself and the other interns were also given several talks to broaden our knowledge of the different company sectors. This included talks from crude trading, gas trading, HSEC and biofuels - which I found very interesting.

What training and support is available throughout the programme?

Everyone in the oil engineering team is always happy to help. They are keen to offload their knowledge in their field of expertise for my personal development.

What new skills have you learned on the programme?

During the programme I have developed many skills, both technical and interpersonal, through the wide range of projects I have been involved in. For example, my presentation skills have progressed by presenting to large audiences of people from other companies; so now I feel much more comfortable doing it.

Describe a project or piece of work you have been involved in.

I am currently working on a project which involves producing a piping inspection plan for a petroleum products storage terminal located in Argentina, one of Glencore’s oil assets. Initially, this involved developing a line list by examining the P&IDs of the facility and working with the on-site team (and other members of the engineering team in London) to determine the most effective inspection procedure.

How can students best prepare for a placement year at Glencore?

I would recommend researching the company before starting the placement year - to get a good understanding of how they operate and the different sectors they operate in. This will create a better idea of the team you will be working in and how it fits into Glencore as a company overall. It is also important to go in with an open mind, be willing to learn and ask questions whenever you are uncertain.