Service Analyst Review

I really enjoyed my work placement at GSK, the culture of the workplace, as well as the people I've met have made a lasting impression on my life. I have learnt about so many different roles within the IT industry and have been an important part in several projects where I've been challenged and trusted to deliver results.

I felt very well valued by my colleagues, my manager and my peers frequently told myself and others about the great work I was doing, and I was given challenging tasks to reflect the trust put in me by my fellow team members. Socialised regularly with my team and always felt rewarded for my troubles.

I had regular meetings with my line manager, where we discussed the work I was doing, where I would be getting involved in the future, as well as if I had any concerns/questions about the work I was doing. As well as him, my colleagues were always very approachable and willing to give advice

My workload varied throughout my placement, at times I would have a huge amount of work to do, and there were other times where I wasn't too busy. However, where I wasn't busy I was always encouraged by my colleagues to get involved in different tasks and learn more about the work I was doing. Conversely, at critical project milestones where my workload was considerably higher, I always had the full understanding of my colleagues and they regularly checked on me to ensure I could handle the workload.

I felt like I was given considerable responsibility during my placement, I was considered an important part of an 8 figure project and was regularly consulted for advice in key decisions and documentation changes. While I was supervised with more important tasks earlier in my placement to ensure I had the necessary knowledge, towards the end I was able to complete these tasks with minimal help and was trusted to do so.

I developed several skills during my placement which I didn't have before, this placement has taught me the value of structure and co-ordination which I will use going into the final year of my degree. I was also given the opportunity to complete the ITIL Foundation course as well as experiencing other workshops on Project Management and Supply Chains. The industrial experience I have gained will allow me to transition into regular working life a lot more quickly than I would have before this year.

I moved around and worked in different teams with slight variations in atmosphere. I very much enjoyed the work culture at GSK, generally speaking individuals are not blamed for making a mistake, but instead the team work together to try and remediate the issue and take preventative actions to try and stop similar issues happening in the future. I enjoyed regular conversations with my colleagues, regarding work and other interests where appropriate. While everyone had an opinion on a topic, the discussions were always structured and constructive, and allowed everyone to have a say. Everyone wanted to do what was best for the end customer and were willing to sacrifice personal glory to do so.

Within GSK, the work placement was very well organised, it was made clear to me which teams I would be working with and what I would potentially be working on in the future. I quickly got to grips with the general structure of my organisation and where I would fit into it. However, the agency through which we were hired had various mix-ups with bonus payments, holidays and taxes, these were all eventually resolved but not in a particularly comforting or organised fashion.

The company paid for me to complete ITIL Foundation as well as a Project Management course within the company, my manager in particular has given a lot of career advice and has shared his past experiences (good and bad) with me to provide examples of situations that can happen in my career. My colleagues are also very quick to contribute with their own tips and tricks to become as successful as possible, as well as advice on future job applications, CVs, LinkedIn etc.

I was given the opportunity (which I took) to extend my placement for 2 and a half months, so there are opportunities to stay beyond the 12 months offered. There are also opportunities to apply for a graduate scheme which I am in the application process for now. I am also armed with the knowledge that my manager has hired placement students he has had in the past, and has already spoken to me about potentially working part time during my final year.

There were regular social activities organised by an organisation within GSK which is specifically to enhance the IP experience, through social/corporate events and various opportunities to help out with charities. I was given the opportunity to be part of this organisation and gained invaluable experience in organising events for hundreds of IPs which fortunately were successful.

Compared to average London prices, I believe the cost of rent I was paying was not bad, although it took a significant chunk of my wages to pay for rent/bills etc. Costs of socialising are about average as well, I was fortunate to have a manager that regularly treated the team to dinners/nights out to celebrate reaching milestones in projects.

There are a few pubs nearby which are fairly good, but generally it was easy to take a train to Central London and that is where most of our social events happened.

There were various opportunities to get involved with charities, as well as sports activities such as football and netball that were organised by the IP organisation at GSK. There were opportunities to visit manufacturing sites around the country, as well as get involved with social events with various different teams, sometimes with team members who were visiting from other countries.