Placement Year Review at Eli Lilly

The Role

Role Description

Supporting and ensuring compliance for the business areas we support in a global team.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The initial 6 months were a struggle. That was due to the role I had been put into and the mismatch between that and my degree/previous experience. The latter six months were far more enjoyable. The calibre of staff is extremely high and the culture at the company ensures that it is a friendly environment to work in.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The placement students at Lilly are fully integrated into the company in a matter of months and, as long as it's earned, get the the respect and support they deserve.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

I was fortuntate enough to get an incredibly hard working, understanding and helpful supervisor who had the patience to grow my skills and character throughout the placement.

4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

★★★★★★★★★☆

Rated 9/10

Workload was never an issue. I wasn't swamped but there was no shortage.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The first half of the placement it could be argued I did not get enough responsibility. This was in part because there had not been a placement student in my role for a considerable number of years. The second half of the placement allowed me to pick up a good deal 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 8/10

Something I found difficult to grasp at the start was the vast difference between my job role and the degree I was doing. It was only months in that I realised the placement would only last a year and what was important was the skills I was learning would stand me in great stead for the future.

In the year I've been working I've grown vastly as a person and have found the whole experience very beneficial.

In relationship to my degree it has caused me to switch (just the final year) to a degree that is more business oriented. I see this as a positive.

The Organisation

7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 5/10

At times the atmosphere was a little dead, however it's really what you make of it. There's no shortage of great people to talk to.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

It has been running for a considerable amount of time and as such is well organised.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

There's a big effort in terms of time and money to grow the students (myself included) whilst on the placement. This is done through mentoring, training (both internal and external) and the responsibility given.

10. What were the perks on your work placement?

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

• Subsidised Canteen
• Sports and Social Club
• Subsidised/Company Gym
• National Travel
• International Travel

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

★★★★★★☆☆☆☆

Rated 6/10

Currently they aren't re-hiring many students - however this looks like it could change in the near future. However mostly as contractors.

Other Information

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

The IT placement runs alongside the marketing placement and consequently there's a good social scene.

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

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

Rated 7/10

It's not considerably more than I was paying at University in Portsmouth.

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

★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆

Rated 4/10

Basingstoke isn't known for a good night life. However like most places it's who you're with not where.

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

★★★★★★★★☆☆

Rated 8/10

Between the events run by students and the social club at the company there was a good variety of events including comedy nights, sky diving, theatre, film etc.

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?

Two points:

1) The pharmaceutical industry is slow moving and may not be as exciting as other areas of work. However what does counterbalance this to an extent at Lilly is how well run and organised the placement scheme is.

2) If you're put into a role or team you're not happy with there IS room to maneuver and change direction. You need to learn who the individuals worth speaking to are and how to speak to them. That's a great challenge and skill to learn. The placement really is what you make of it.

Review 10/12 for Eli Lilly

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