Placement Year Review at GlaxoSmithKline

The Role

Role Description

Designing and synthesising compounds of biological interest. Around 90 % of the time was spent in the lab, very hands on.

1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Really enjoyed the work, particularly the fact that it is multidisciplinary so I was exposed to many areas of science.

2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Fantastic group to work with. Friendly, relaxed atmosphere that made me want to be productive.

3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Couldn't fault any of the team, especially my supervisor. Always help available when I needed it. I feel like they really wanted me to get the most out of the placement.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Always had plenty to do, and if I needed more/less then I felt I could freely talk to my manager about it.

5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I wasn't treated like a student, and as a result I was given the right amount of responsibility.

6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

I developed both practical and theoretical skills. On top of that, I found I work best in a team environment because I communicate well.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Really good atmosphere, relaxed while still being productive. Even under pressure of deadlines the overall attitude was positive.

8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Being a big company meant that everything was well organised - you can tell they put a lot of time into the preparation.

9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

They encouraged me to get as much out of my time at GSK as possible. I was able to shadow people in other departments and the lab training was excellent.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

• Flexi Time
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• National Travel
• Financial Bonus
• Company Parties/Events
• Staff Sales/Staff Shop

11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

They have a new PhD scheme which I have applied for and I'm hoping my previous experience will serve me well.

Other Information

12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

★★★★★★★★★★

Rated 10/10

Great group of people, making it a thoroughly enjoyable year.

13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Rent was about average (perhaps slightly above). I was used to a very cheap cost of living in Glasgow so it was a bit more expensive than I was used to but fine overall.

14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

A few nice country pubs but mainly chains (Wetherspoons). 25 min train into London was very handy though!

15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

Local gyms, cinema, tennis courts. Enough to keep busy.

In addition to these questions, is there any extra information you would like to leave about your experiences on your work placement that other students may be interested in?

I highly recommend a placement with GSK.

Review 220/231 for GlaxoSmithKline

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