Europe & International Regulatory Policy Review

Overall, the placement was a great insight into working in a multinational company. One of the highlights of working in regulatory is interacting with colleagues from across the world, and therefore learning about different working cultures. There are lots of opportunities for personal development, for example working through training courses.

For the first 3 months of placement I felt like I had very much a supporting role in the team as I learned more about the tasks and grew in confidence. As the year progressed, I began to take a lead on important projects, and when I'd done a good job people made the effort to say so, which is a massive confidence booster and made me feel valued.

At the beginning of the placement by supervisor very much guided me through work, giving me step-by-step advice. As my confidence and involvement in various projects grew, this became more of a two-way communication as I sought support and guidance instead of needing guidance all of the time. My supervisor also gave me quarterly feedback and an end-of-placement review.

Overall, the balance of work was good, As I was learning about the role in the first few months, there were times when I felt short of work. However after this I became much busier, and had to manage my time more effectively. As I generally enjoy being busier, the day went by quicker and I felt more productive.

At the start of placement as I was learning about the role, I was very much supporting my colleagues in my team in their activities. For 9 months of the year, I led an industry-wide project and also took a lead on two different topics on behalf of the team. There was definitely a sense of collaboration across the business.

My time management and organisation greatly improved through the placement. I also got into a routine of 9-5 working which will support my degree studies as I will be more disciplined with my time. The placement wasn't overly science-based so the content of the placement doesn't go very far in supporting my degree, so I've gained more value in soft skills.

The overall atmosphere was really relaxed. Lots of people work from home, so the office is quite quiet (especially on Friday and Monday). Everyone is available and happy to chat in the office if you've got a query or concern. The offices are all open plan so it's easy to interact with everyone of different levels of seniority in the company, which makes the working environment less intimidating.

Before starting the placement I didn't receive much communication from the company, and the contracts took a while to come through. My supervisor was really good at emailing me to touch base, and the previous industrial trainees arranged a 'handover' day, which made me feel much more prepared for the first days and weeks of work. The previous student also explained the main projects I'd get to work on, which made my first day less intimidating.

There were lots of training courses available to go on, but I had to be proactive in going on the courses. My supervisor set out the main skills that I'd need to develop in the role at the beginning of the year, and I also set out my own personal development goals. This gave me more direction for the year.

There seems to be a lot of opportunity to work in different functions across the company, which is appealing. The graduate prospects aren't as prominent and appealing as those at other companies, but I would consider working for Pfizer later on in my career, particularly as the work-life balance is an important part of the company's values.

There were about 18 students at the site I worked at. Because I lived at home, I didn't take advantage of the social opportunities, but the other students lived together and went out in local towns and did local activities.

The offices are in a slightly awkward location, so it's much easier to have a car and/or bike (if you live close enough). I lived at home during my placement but overall the need for a car makes the cost of living more expensive.

There aren't many clubs in the local area, so everyone has to travel for about 30 minutes to the nearest town. Drinks prices are as you'd expect in the south, and the two universities mean the nightlife is slightly above average.

There are lots of local sports clubs (e.g. hockey, football, rugby) to join, as well as leisure centres for the gym and swimming. There are lots of more relaxing activities to do locally, such as pubs and walks and restaurants.