Product License Support Industrial Trainee Review

My placement year in Regulatory Operations at Pfizer was one of the best decisions I have ever made. When applying for placements I did not want to be in a lab for the year and with a keen interest in the Pharmaceutical industry I wanted to work for one of the biggest Pharmaceutical companies in the world. This placement at Pfizer gives you the perfect insight into the Pharmaceutical industry because as you develop in your role you also have access to learn more about other departments by attending meetings held by other managers and you may even have the opportunity to shadow another manager such as a Hospital Sales Rep. This helped me gain a holistic picture of the pharmaceutical industry as a whole and not just from the point of view from my position.

From the moment I joined Pfizer I felt valued by my colleagues to the point that I almost forgot that I was on a placement year. Members of my team would value my input and ask for my opinion on a subject matter on a daily basis. This only helped build my confidence when moving onto a different project or interacting with another department. I was surprised to find out that it was not just within my department that I was valued; it was across the workplace, something I did not expect from people I didn’t really know.

If I was ever unsure of any work or project that I had been set I knew that there were always a handful of people that would be able to help me, no matter how small/simple the question. This was always conveyed to the industrial trainee by our managers and it meant if ever I was in doubt I would not feel uncomfortable to approach someone with a question.

On a daily basis I would have my day to day activities. This alongside meetings and individual project work I was always kept busy. However, I wouldn’t have to work outside of work and therefore could still enjoy my evenings at home with no extra stress. As long as you prioritised well you would not become overburdened with work.

In my role I was especially lucky to receive training in a wide range of areas within Pharmaceutical Regulations. This meant that my level of responsibility within my team increased as my knowledge grew. Towards the middle/end of my placement I was hosting weekly meetings as well as presenting business enhancements to the Senior Leadership team. I would also be tasked with sending communication to the European Medicines Agency and maintaining a database to stay compliant with the EMA’s requirements.

As I am currently still on my placement I can’t yet describe how it has affected the rest of my degree. However, I know when I go back to university my time management, prioritisation and communication skills as well as my teamwork and leadership skills will far exceed what I expected from this year.

In the office the atmosphere was just perfect for me. It was quiet most of the time with people cracking on with their work. I felt very comfortable with the pace of work and you get the sense from the people around you that they enjoy the work that they do and that drives you to work harder and produce work to the best of your ability.

The Pfizer placement year is extremely well organised. It has been in operation for a few years now and they have managed to make the year fly by with other trips/activities that you can go on throughout the year outside of your normal 9-5 day. This includes visits to the manufacturing site and the research laboratories. Furthermore there are meetings organised with other departments so that you can learn more about the pharmaceutical industry.

The company invested a good amount into my development throughout the year. I went on a number of training courses that were not directly related to my roll. Including an introduction to marketing and Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt training that was one of the best training sessions I have ever been to. So much so I completed a business process enhancement that was implemented which allowed me to become certified in lean six sigma yellow belt.

As the company has already given me a year of training the prospect of future employment is extremely likely because they have already set the foundation of your career. My other colleagues are always asking me whether I will return after my degree because they can see how well I would fit in and enjoy it on a day to day basis.

Yes! The other placement students were so much fun and most weekends a group of us would go out clubbing or go karting, cinema etc. It really topped off the whole placement that not only was it really exciting and interesting during the working hours but outside of that and away from university I would also be having such a good time.

The cost of living in Surrey is obviously more than what I was paying at university but then again the house I was living in was much nicer and I was living with fewer people. The location was really good for getting into London or heading into Brighton where I live normally.

There were not many big nightclubs in the nearby towns and therefore to go clubbing we would have to go to London. However, if a night out for drinks is what you are looking for this is the perfect place as all the towns have really cool bars that aren’t crazy expensive.

Yes, outside of work there were football and running clubs that was organised by Pfizer. Other than that because you finish at 5 pm and unlike university you don’t have to come home and carry on working your evenings are free to do whatever you want like go to the gym, sports clubs etc.