Microbiology IP Student Review

I really enjoyed my placement within a Johnson & Johnson company. I found that the work was valuable and I learned a lot during my time there. I found that my placement year went incredibly quickly and I'd definitely consider returning to the company after I have completed my degree.

I felt very valued by my colleagues and was sad to leave them. They were all very welcoming and we worked well together as a team. All of my colleagues were supportive and helped me fit into the company. They were always willing to answer any questions that I had and we were friend by the end of my placement.

My manager was very supportive throughout my placement. He helped me to feel part of the team immediately and set out very clear objectives for my time at Johnson & Johnson. He was always willing to help and answer any questions that I had on a daily basis. He was also very helpful with the work that I was required to complete as part of my degree.

Throughout my placement I was busy on a daily basis. This varied somewhat depending on the stage of the quarter as the amount of testing required fluctuated. Some days I was too busy but I would rather this than being bored as it made the time fly by very quickly.

I was given more responsibilty than I was initially expecting. The amount of reposibilty increased as my time at Johnson and Johnson progressed so i enver felt out of my depth. My colleagues were always there to answer questions as well so the amount of responsibility I had was good.

I learned a lot about specific test methods that will be very useful if I was based in a microbiology lab again. I also learned more general skills such as time management and the best way to work as part of a team. These skills will be useful for the remainder of my degree and beyond.

My time at Johnson and Johnson was well organised. I was welcomed into the team immediately and had a clear plan for my development. There was a clear work plan on a daily basis and I had several 1 to 1 meetings with my manager to keep track of my progress.

My manager has said that he would like to employ me after I have finished my degree. Whether a position is open for me will depend on the budget contraints next year. I would like to work at Johnson & Johnson again so hopefully a position can be made available for me.

Blackpool was extremely cheap to live in. I rented a 1 bedroom flat for the year and it was very affordable. I was able to have some savings left from my wage that I can use when I am back at university next year. The cost of socialising was the same as anywhere else I have lived.

At the site I was based at there was a badminton team and football team that you could join. There was also CSR, an organisation where you can volunteer with charities in Blackpool. There were also STEM events that you could volunteer to be a part of which occurred twice during my placement.