Microbiological Technologist Review

I found my industry placement to be very rewarding. The skills I learnt (inside and outside of work) have been undeniably valuable. I was particularly pleased with my incorporation into the workforce as a responsible and trusted individual; I felt more like an employee of the company than a placement. In addition, although I am aware it can vary, my work colleagues were fantastic people and made me feel very welcome. My only complaint would be that training and first few weeks were quite slow moving but this can be attributed to the high workload the lab had to perform each day.

My colleagues were extremely accommodating and friendly! I soon became good friends with them and the lab really did feel like a family to me. I made some great friends during my year who I still am in contact with and we visit each other when possible.

Although they were often very busy, my managers still often managed to make time to support me in my work and one even took over my training when my previous trainers workload increased. In addition, the managers strongly pushed for more time to be spent on training new employees and placements like me. My managers would frequently encourage initiative from me and go over my work and thought process with me. This significantly improved my independence and self confidence. In addition I was provided with a mentor from another site who I would set goals with; she was also extremely friendly and supportive.

My only complaint would be that sometimes work could become extremely busy for everyone. I believe much of this was unavoidable due to the factories stringent quality assurance and high production rate but it still made some work weeks very stressful. Over time as I was trained in new roles I found that despite the work load it was refreshing to move from helping one section of the lab to another and the cooperation between colleagues was well coordinated.

Although it took a few months to be entrusted with the more important aspects of the lab, in GSK you are aware of the responsibilities you have to the company and the public from day one. Whilst this may seem daunting at first it is rewarding to be trusted as much as your colleagues. I also developed a sense of accomplishment and pride in my work as a result, which I believe to be highly valuable.

Whilst I haven't had a chance to use my practical skills in the lab yet, the general skills GSK left me in terms of approaching my work and life in general have really helped me develop as I person. I feel that my performance in my studies has improved alongside my work ethic and confidence. I also know that when I work at the lab bench again the experience I gained from my placement will be just as relevant and useful as it was back at GSK.

Although things could become strained when we were busy, the general atmosphere was extremely cheerful and cooperative. It was also worth noting that we partook in activities around and outside of work as well, which was immensely enjoyable and stress relieving. We also organised trips to the pub and work meals which were always a lot of fun!

Aside from the slow training and allocations early on, the placement was mainly focused on making me feel and develop like a normal employee. There was a network set up between all of the IP's at the site which was useful for communication and organizing tours to other sites etc.

In terms of training and development I was treated exactly the same way as my colleagues were and expected to uphold the same standards.

Highly appealing prospects but I have decided to pursue a different career path than my industry placement. However, I would be happy taking that career to GSK and have maintained and stated my interest in working for the company.

We had a few meals but I feel that I was more integrated into the social scene with my lab colleagues than with my fellow IP's. However, this is obviously highly variable as it depends on the people. In general, there was plenty of opportunities provided for organizing and attending social events within our site's IP network. However, I have to complain that the IP's in charge of company wide student social events were based in London and never attempted to accommodate for those of us working in the northern sites that couldn't attend events in London. This is something that could be improved, not that it affected me personally.

The area I worked in was reasonably priced; there was a large number of pubs to choose from and some were very cheap! Shops themselves were decently priced and there was a variety of well priced restaurants, hairdressers, pharmacies etc etc. Rent was affordable but there wasn't much choice of accommodation. My only issue would be that some the buses were quite expensive and the remoteness made travel expensive without a car.

Clubbing wise it was a remote town so only two "nightclubs" were available (bars by city standards) but there was a plenitude of pubs and due to the company I was with we would always manage to have a good night out despite the lack of actual clubs. Travelling to the nearest clubs was a long and expensive journey, but with good company the local "nightlife" was very fun.

My site's remoteness sometimes made this difficult but there was plenty of opportunities to get involved with charity or local sports clubs.