RateMyPlacement’s guide to undergraduate placements & internships in Science & Research
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Industry Featured Employer
GlaxoSmithKline
The chance to help millions of people do more, feel better and live longer? The opportunity to launch a graduate career in a responsive, innovative, global business? An undergraduate placement that will give you the practical experience to complement your studies? A company that’s genuinely committed to your personal and professional growth? Whatever you want, GSK has the answers.
Featured Opportunities in Science & Research
| Featured Jobs | Company |
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| Industrial Placements |
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Work & Industry Guide
Real Experiences
Hi guys, it's Chris here. Meet Bethan. She's on Placement Year at GlaxoSmithKline this year. Find out what she's been up to, and what a typical student experience is like on Placement Year in the Science & Research industry.
Also here in the Science & Research Work & Industry Guide you can find information on some of the key-player companies, as well as jobs and reviews you may want to read through.
Bethan at GlaxoSmithKline
- Experience
- Placement Year
- Company
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Job Title
- Research & Development
- Dates
- July 2005 – July 2006
- University
- University of Bath
- Course
- Biochemical Engineering (MEng)
Questions & Answers
- Can you briefly describe your role and what you do?
I am a strategy lead responsible for the Quality area within Global Manufacturing and Supply.
This involves the development of strategies for each of the key business processes, and driving initiatives where required.
I am currently shaping 2 projects that have the potential to rollout to up to 40 manufacturing sites across the world. It is vital to align any IT system to the business needs, so I work closely with a variety of groups across the world in the business and IT.
- What attracted you to the industry?
A family friend, who works at GSK, recommended that I look at them as an option for my Industrial placement. There were a number of opportunities available just for placement schemes, which excited me because of the potential development areas for the future.
The ITDP also appealed to me as it looked like it would be a great way to learn about the different areas of the company, and I was proved right!
- What do you enjoy most about working in this industry?
It is not always easy to feel that you are helping people on a daily basis, particularly in IT, but the work that GSK does both in the development of their products, and the support they provide to communities is fantastic. I get visibility of the business and genuinely feel that I am helping people to "do more, feel better and live longer".
- What type of skills and characteristics does a student need to succeed within the industry?
GSK is a very diverse company full of opportunity. Being such a large organisation, strong communication skills (both verbal and written) are important. Having good time management, flexibility and organisational skills is also key as work can (and does) vary on a daily basis.
Within the roles I have had, good problem solving skills and understanding the importance of effective stakeholder management are also areas that have helped me succeed.
- What challenges do you/the industry face?
Being a global leader in the pharmaceutical industry we must adhere to multiple regulations to ensure quality of our products. To deliver value, and continue being an effective IT group we support the business by finding ways to help them do their jobs quickly and more effectively.
From an individual level, when starting a role in GSK you have to "hit the ground running". There is a lot to learn but I have always found the level of support and guidance really helpful.
- What one piece of advice would you give to students looking to enter the industry?
Placements are only a year, so work hard to achieve as much as you can. GSK uses a Personal Development Plan to document your objectives, and this is a great way to work closely with your manager to not only demonstrate how you have meet these, but also to develop your personal skill set such as confidence, presentation or influencing skills. I would thoroughly recommend a placement year at GSK.
Background
Most goods used by people in their homes, at work and in their everyday activities are products derived from the chemical, nuclear, oil and gas, petroleum and polymer industries. These industries combine to enable the production not only of fuel for cars and heating for homes, but also of bitumen, plastics, paints and inks, rubber, synthetic fibres for clothing, pharmaceuticals and the energy necessary for the whole country to function.
Chemical
With sales of £34 billion, the Chemical Industry is one of the largest manufacturing industries in the UK and has one of the highest growth rates. Approximately 240,000 people are employed in the manufacture of chemical ingredients used in the production of a wide range of products such as pharmaceuticals, paints, plastics and textiles. All chemicals end up being used in products and services purchased by the consumer and it is estimated that each UK household either directly or indirectly spends around £30/week on chemicals.
Pharmaceuticals
The Chemical and Biological sciences are the cornerstone of the Pharmaceutical industry and today the knowledge generated by this sector is producing treatments that have extended the average life expectancy by more than 30 years over the last century. Essentially the pharmaceutical industry has excelled in taking basic research and turning this knowledge into treatments. The Pharmaceutical Industry is a key driver in the UK economy, a top performing technology sector, underpinned by a strong academic pipeline.
Nuclear
The nuclear industry in the UK operated the world’s first commercial nuclear power reactor in 1956. The industry now directly employs over 44,000 people in the UK with nuclear power at its peak provided round 20% of the UK’s electricity although many of the nuclear power stations are coming to the end of life. The nuclear fuel cycle operations in the UK are of major international importance and can provide for all the needs of the UK and for much of the export demand.
Oil and gas
The UK Oil and Gas Extraction industry, also referred to as Upstream, covers the exploration, extraction and initial processing of North Sea oil and gas (hydrocarbons) from around the UK, both on-shore and off-shore. The industry contributed over £30 billion to the UK economy last year. The centre of activity for the oil and gas extraction is off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland, however hydrocarbons are also produced in other areas of the UK such as the southern North Sea, offshore Humberside and the Liverpool and Morecombe Bays.
Petroleum
The UK Petroleum Industry is also referred to as the downstream sector. It is made up of companies involved in the refining, distribution and marketing of petroleum products. The main product of the downstream sector is transport fuels (aviation kerosene, diesel and unleaded petrol) which can amount to 60% of a refinery output and the industry employs over 150,000 people directly, and several thousand contract workers.
Jobs in Science & Research
| Job Title | Company | Details | |
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Year in Industry Programme
Reckitt Benckiser
Application deadline: 29th Feb 2012 |
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Marketing Assistant
BASF
Application deadline: 19th Mar 2012 |
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Industrial Placements
GlaxoSmithKline
Application deadline: Ongoing |
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Summer Placements
GlaxoSmithKline
Application deadline: Ongoing |
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Systems Integration & Managed Services Internship
Atos
Application deadline: Ongoing |
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Work Experience Videos Guides
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