Analytical Chemistry Review

I was given my own project to complete, for which I had full autonomy and was allowed to manage my own time and workload. I had the support of a fantastic team and had the chance to explore a number of departments within the company. I thoroughly enjoyed this placement and would recommend it to anyone looking for pharma industry experience.

I was invited out for socials, worked on a desk next to my manager and got on with my team well.

I had the right level of support - I was not micromanaged but was given a project had the opportunity to ask for assistance where necessary.

A little too busy at times but it was good to be stretched.

I ran my own project autonomously, but had support from colleagues where necessary.

The knowledge I learned will not directly apply but I have gained a lot of transferable skills.

My work colleagues were all lovely and we got on well. However the office was very busy and some of my colleagues were stressed frequently, especially around big deadlines. The office itself was spacious and had an open layout which allowed for effective communication, and there were large windows looking into fields which facilitates a good atmosphere.

We were notified of our offers relatively late and had short deadlines to complete pre-employment checks. We were not advised about our departments or job roles until we arrived at the company, and after this we were given individual projects which we managed ourselves. However we did have insight days arranged to allow us to explore different areas within the company, which I found very useful.

I spent the first three weeks of my placement training. The company had a good range of training packages, including videos, practicals and quizzes. We had insight days exploring other areas of the company and were allowed to arrange opportunities to observe these areas in greater detail. The training this company provided exceeded my expectations.

The department I was based in was interesting however I do not think this is where I wish to focus my career. I hope to return to the company in different departments and have already submitted job applications to do so. This is because the company has a fantastic work culture and invests heavily in training and personal development.

Placement students - We all met regularly for dinner and other social events. We also had insight days every other week where we could socialize with each other and bond over shared challenges. Department colleagues - we had work socials and the company also organised subsidised events such as barbeques.

I travelled through London and so this was reletively expensive. However I was living at home and therefore saved a lot of money in this manner. Socialising in Hertfordshire was much cheaper than I am used to, however the majority of us had to get the last train home and could not stay out for too long.

The nightlife in the area was poor and there were only one or two pubs which were recommended by past students. However there are good transport links to nearby areas including London which had a much better nightlife. It was challenging motivating work colleagues to travel this far, especially those with family commitments and children.

A lot of the activities outside work were designed for long term employees. Examples of this include after work sports games, were I could not join the team for such a short period of time, fantasy football teams that had the same issue and first aid courses designed for permanent employees only.