Materials Scientist Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my time working at GSK! I received so much guidance and support from all of my colleagues in the department and always had something to work on. I was trained with competency on a range of techniques in the lab which was then applied to project work. Everyone I worked with was very friendly and supportive and I was treated like a valued member of the team. I was never treated as 'just a student' as I was given equal responsibilities, however, due to my lack of experience, the team were very helpful to provide guidance and support should I need it. I felt very comfortable in the work environment and was able to develop a good working relationship with all members of the team!

I felt very valued within the team. There are some tasks carried out by myself on a regular basis, which if not carried out, would have an impact on the rest of the teams ability to carry out lab work for projects. I was flexible with my time and always volunteered myself to assist where requested which helped other colleagues greatly! At weekly team meetings, "thank you's" are given and received which is a great way to acknowledge someone's gratitude for your work. I felt I have received lots of praise for tasks I have carried out during my time here which is appreciated very much.

All members of the team have provided support and guidance to me throughout the year, however, my manager has been very supportive of me! Myself and my manager would have weekly one-to-one meetings at the start of my placement which then became fortnightly meetings, however, he would always be willing to answer any questions I may have! He has been excellent in providing me with the skills and knowledge I need to carry out my project work for the company as well as assisting me with my uni work. He would happily take some time to read through any uni work I have and provide feedback for me to make improvements. He has provided so much guidance throughout the year and has never wavered. I mentioned early on how I wanted to develop my problem solving skills and he took the time to create scenarios for me to apply my problem solving skills. I feel I have received excellent support from my manager and the whole team!

I found I would have times where I was more busy than other times and this was mostly dependent on the current project work. In the first month of my placement I didn't have much to do as I was yet to be trained on any techniques and so all I was able to do was read local procedures and do some learnings. However, once I began training on techniques I felt more involved and could help out more. As the year progressed I found that there was always something for me to be working on, even if I didn't have much project work on at the time. There were periods where I would be quite busy where I may be carrying out several techniques on different projects in a week, however, this was never more than I could handle and if I did ever feel a bit overwhelmed then I was able to address this to the team.

I was given plenty of responsibilities, if not equal amounts to permanent members of the team! My main project for the year, aside from the usual project work involving lab testing for customers, was to replace the current obsolescent balances in the lab with new balances. This project was carried out from near the start of my placement and was a long process! However, for this project I had many responsibilities including deciding what new balances the team should purchase, the location of the new balances in the lab (this meant moving around the lab to accommodate for the new balances), completing validation documentation and creating other documentation which would enable the new balances to be used whilst following site procedure. I also had other responsibilities whilst carrying out lab work for projects such as using the equipment and reporting results to customers. There was rarely a time where I wasn't able to do something because I was just a student.

The amount of experience, skill and knowledge I have gained during my placement has been very valuable. I have had the opportunity to be trained on many techniques which has allowed me to see what I am more interested in. I have learnt how a large company like GSK operates and the importance of the work carried out. I believe that my experience at GSK will benefit me greatly when applying for future positions and will allow me to pursue a career in an area that I know I have interest in. I have built up a wealth of knowledge and experience that I would not have gained from uni alone which will be applied during uni and my future career. I believe my soft skills have developed further too such as improving my communication skills, problem solving skills and initiative.

There was always a happy atmosphere in the office which was aided by the usual Friday sweet treats brought in by colleagues! Members of the team would chat with each other often and help each other out. We frequently gather as a team to have group discussions. There was always an appropriate balance of work conversation and casual discussion.

The start of my placement was a bit slow to get started as it wasn't until a month in that I began being trained in techniques. This was unfortunate as I began my placement during a busy period in the team. My year wasn't necessarily planned out but my training in techniques was always organised well around project work. I had regular meetings with my manager to discuss my progress and the next steps to take.

I was provided with several training opportunities and attended talks from other experiences GSK staff. I had an opportunity to attend a virtual tour of the animal testing facility as well as tours in R&D. I was also given the opportunity to attend STEM events such as a work experience week and attend the Big Bang Fair in Birmingham, however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, I was not able to attend these events. Members of the team I worked in were most responsible for my training and development.

As I am planning to do a PhD after I graduate I haven't looked into employment. I haven't been presented with any future job opportunities, however, should I apply for a position within GSK in the future then I believe that my experience gained will benefit me greatly. I would happily work for GSK in the future if there was an opportunity available.

I commuted 40 miles to work and didn't live in the area therefore I didn't really have an opportunity to socialise with other placement students. I had several times attended meals with colleagues both during work and after work. There have been few work parties which I have attended but otherwise I didn't get involved with many social activities. If I was closer to the area then I believe I would've been more involved. Other placement students living in the area had a better opportunity to socialise.

I did not live in the area I worked in nor did I get involved in many social events, therefore, I do not have a good representation of the costs. I have attended several restaurants for meals with colleagues which were always priced well. There are many pubs and restaurants in the area and all were fairly cheap.

I did not attend any nightlife events during my placement at GSK. However, I am aware that there are not many clubs in the area and the closest one is about 30 mins on the train or in London. There are several pubs in the area which are reasonably priced.

There were several opportunities however, I didn't attend many mainly due to the commute I needed to make back home.