Industrial placement student Review

I thoroughly enjoyed my placement at GSK this year. It gave me the opportunity to learn about the industry as well as apply the knowledge I had learnt at university to real life problems. I also feel that the expansive knowledge of the employees there was very useful to my own development, and I can comfortably say that I have become a much better chemist as a result of this year. Overall, working at GSK this year has been a great experience.

Most of the employees were very kind and helpful, with any questions or queries that I may have had being answered. A key part of what made my placement enjoyable was that I was treated as equal to a full time employee with my roles being incorporated into the roles that a full time employee would carry out. I was a valued member of the team and was invited along to all of the activities that the team had organised which was great.

For the most part, there was sufficient support and guidance given to me by my management team. Whenever I was unsure on something they would always help me out and teach me how the task should be completed. Also they were good in the sense that they encouraged me to think about things myself which improved my own self development and independence. There were some instances in which my management could have been more understanding of my mistakes but this was quickly resolved.

The workload given was fine with plenty of work to be getting on with throughout the day without having to work overtime to complete a task. If I was short on work or needed more to keep me occupied, I could simply ask my manager for more work and they would be happy to share some of their workload with me. Likewise If I was very busy, I would not be given extra work until I had completed my tasks.

I was given lots of responsibility during my placement and this was perhaps one of the best parts of my placement. Before joining my placement I expected to be carrying out simple, less important tasks that the full time employees didn't have time for. However this was not the case and I was regularly given high importance tasks that were critical to the success of the project. This felt very rewarding as it showed the trust that the management had in the placement students.

The skills that I have developed and learnt during my placement year are invaluable and will almost certainly help me in my future career. Before this year I had limited practical experience and was not confident in carrying out complex experiments. Now after a year in placement, my confidence has increased and I feel much more confident as well as independent in carrying out certain tasks. Likewise working in a team everyday has improved my teamworking and communication skills.

The atmosphere was upbeat. There was music being played throughout the day in the lab and you could chat to anyone about anything. There were times when people were busy that the atmosphere was a lot quieter but it allowed for me to get on with my work. There were regular tea breaks which were sociable and there were areas in which you could be alone to do study or work that required full concentration.

The organisation was great overall for the placement. The communications before starting the placement were clear and direct. Before entering the lab, we were taken on an induction course which was well organised and got us into the right mindset for work as well as enabling us to get to know many of the people we would be working with. The organisation of event and workload was fine with email communications used regularly to ensure everyone knows what's going on.

There were plenty of opportunities to improve personal development with the daily work routines as well as specific events set up. For example the training week at the beginning of the placement helped to develop practical skills before entering the labs as well as social skills in meeting all the other students. Also there are regular meetings in which you must present your work and so this improved communication and presenting skills all of which are valued highly by the company.

I would say very appealing as I have continued to work at the organisation after my placement. The roles available within the company are very wide ranging with roles focused entirely on science to HR roles and financial roles. The company also allows you to experience different areas of business and so opens up many opportunities to experience new roles no matter what your experience in these roles are previously. There are also many different sites across the globe so allows you to travel to new places.

The social scene was great both within and outside of work. Many of the people that I met during my year have become very good friends. At work there were many tea breaks and trips out which enabled us to socialised and unwind after working all day. Also amongst the students there was a committee set up which organised social events all year round. Due to the large number of students the company takes on, there is always social events going on and so there is always something to do.

The cost of living was fairly high likely due to the close proximity to London. Also the area itself is not the best in terms of quality and the cost of a low quality house share is fairly expensive. In terms of cost of socialising there are some places with reasonable prices but also some very expensive areas. There is however plenty of dining out venues that aren't too expensive and if you want somewhere abit more high end and expensive there are plenty in London.

In the immediate are, the nightlife was very average with limited places to go and socialise. Also the nights that were busier were on a Thursday night which was not great when many people worked on a Friday. Perhaps one advantage however was that there is plenty of nightlife in London which was only a short train journey away. However the logistics of travel are not as easy as simply walking to a bar/pub and you have to be committed to certain times of returning.

There were plenty of opportunities to get involved with outside of work. As there is a dedicated team that organise events for the placement students, there is always something to do. For example we had numerous trips to pubs/restaurants as well as trips into London. Also many of the students organised sport activities and there were regular sports sessions in the onsite gym. I regularly joined in with football games that us students organised to do once a week at the local football club.