This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
- At GSK you are given a lot of freedom to do projects that interest you. The company are keen to make sure you enjoy your placement as much as possible and get valuable experience from it. - The people at GSK make sure the work you do is not only engaging but is also relative to your degree. The variety of project work you can have makes it more enjoyable. No two days are the same
- Quickly you are made to feel part of a team and you are given more complex work as you go on. The work they give you is work that will have a direct impact on the company, and towards the end of the year I was given work to do for higher members of staff based on the strengths I had shown. - Meetings give you an opportunity to express your opinions and give you a huge sense of involvement.
- Regular one-to-ones are arranged to give you feedback and future work, as well as the asses whether the work you are doing is relevant and of interest to you. - I never felt like I couldn't ask questions. GSK are keen on teaching you new things and ensuring you are comfortable with your work rather than giving you work that you will struggle with. However, the work is challenging which is a good thing.
- It depends on the projects you are doing. Some days can be very on the go whilst others can be more slow. However, I was never without work to do as I had multiple projects running at any one time. - You are given the freedom to manage your own work and work to your own deadlines most of the time. However on very busy days sometimes staying late is essential to make sure business deadlines are met.
- Towards the end of my placement I was given huge amounts of responsibility, working on projects that affected primary processes on the manufacturing site. - GSK like you to see what your hard work is going towards, and large projects give you the opportunity to provide sustainable and innovative changes to the company's ways of working.
- My placement taught me how to manage my time more effectively and how to interact with people in a professional manner. - Being bale to see what your university work goes towards in the world of work is extremely rewarding. Using maths and science to solve real world problems firms up the knowledge that what you learn at university is applicable.
The Company
- Very friendly. My team were always happy to help with my work and offer their professional guidance when I needed it. Any questions I asked were answered. - Although GSK's work is hugely important and the company is very patient focused, office areas are usually stress free giving you a comfortable environment to work in.
- Projects were given to me on my arrival, and further work was always given to me that was relevant and would link to any work I had done previously. - I was quickly trained so I could get on with the project work, and guidance was always aligned to me should I encounter any issues
- GSK were always keen to offer me further training so I could complete more involved projects across more business areas. These could be classroom based or web-based. - I became a STEM ambassador as part of GSK, which allowed me to gain more experience and gain further training in things such as workshops and careers fairs.
Flexi Time
Subsidised Canteen
Sports and Social Club
Subsidised/Company Gym
Financial Bonus
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
- You have the opportunity to join the apply for the company wide graduate programme whilst on placement and also an internal graduate programme. - GSK give you work that makes you want to come back to them after studies. The future employment opportunities give you the confidence that GSK will develop the skills necessary to become a successful engineer. They also have close links with the IMechE for those who wish to become chartered such as myself.
The Culture
- There were 40 other placement students so the social life was very good You very quickly make friends and organise pub visits or nights out! At times it was like being at university except being paid means you have money to spend! - My team were always making sure I was included in any social events such as birthdays, Christmas parties and such like.
- Being close to London means social activities can be a little expensive, however the placement itself pays very respectably so you are never stuck with nothing to do. - Living costs are quite high so sharing accommodation is highly recommended wherever possible. However 3 people is often the maximum number you can get in one property.
- The nightlife in the local towns was good, however London was the main attraction. Although expensive, it guarantees a good night out! - Ware itself is full of pubs and bars with live music so most nights, and especially weekends, there is something on that will be to your taste. Hertford also has some good nightclubs and a further array or pubs.
- The company recommend you join the social club where you can get involved in activities such as football, badminton, squash, kayaking and rock climbing amongst other things. - Being a STEM ambassador helped me to gain out-of-hours experience with things like careers fairs. - The company run 5 a side football on most days, which is a great place to meet new people and get some good exercise.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering, Product Design
South East
June 2017