Industry Placement Review

I thoroughly enjoyed working at GSK. I enjoyed the hands-on aspect of training and the ability to contribute to work being undertaken by other colleagues.

Some members of staff were distant/unapproachable, but members of my team were very friendly and I felt very welcome. I was given critical tasks to complete for other members of staff, and was asked to train a new full time member of staff in using MSD technology. My opinion was valued in team meetings and I was able to participate in discussions without being worried about being ignored or ridiculed. Despite the fact that I am a student, my team valued my contributions to the discussion.

My supervisor provided excellent support throughout my placement, going out of her way to make me feel comfortable. She pushed me to excel in my work and encouraged me to take part in departmental conversations. She also assisted me in presentations and promoted my work in the department. I was able to freely approach her for help and advice. During her absence, my line manager was also extremely supportive and took time out of his busy schedule to schedule a regular meeting with me to ensure I was coping with the work level and expectations.

There was always something to do, but I always had the option to walk away for 10 minutes and give myself a break. There was a strong emphasis on balance, during work and outside of work. I was always able to approach other members of staff and offer my assistance if there was a lull in my own work - likewise, I was able to schedule my responsibilities to prevent my work from becoming too intense.

Once I had proven my capability, I was given a critical role in one of the drug development programs in addition to my project. I am very appreciative of this experience and the trust implied.

The skills I have learned here will be invaluable, not only in a lab-based environment but in presenting and communicating ideas to other people.

The environment depended greatly on which office you were in for the day. GSK uses a 'Smart Working' approach to offices, allowing staff to sit where they please. Often this depended on the location of the equipment in use that day. This flexibility meant that some offices were very casual and conversational, whereas others were quiet and focused.

The organisation was hit and miss, but through no fault of GSK. The agency we are employed by, SRG, are badly organised and do not communicate well with either their staff or GSK. Many of the issues faced by myself and my fellow placement students were due to the lack of communication or misinformation from the supervisory staff at SRG. Nevertheless, the placement went well and GSK performed well in organising the year.

I was trained on many pieces of equipment in the labs, including equipment that had little relevance to my project. I was offered the opportunity to train in several techniques including the OCTET, cell imaging and flow cytometry. In my training with MSDs and ELISAs, I was given access to all the resources I may have needed and encouraged to seek additional training if I was interested.

Most of the staff currently employed within my department undertook an undergraduate placement during their degree, so it is very promising for the current placement students. GSK also offer several graduate schemes that placement students can apply for. Some of these schemes have a guaranteed position within the company at the end, while others focus on training and experience that allow you to stand out when applying for jobs within and outside the company.

The placement students are very social across all the departments, with many events organised through IP Unite - a group focused on improving the experience for IP students across the country. They organised several nights out in London, a boat party, a Halloween party and a Christmas party. In our department, there was a regular meet up on a Friday evening at the local bar - both full time members of staff and students were encouraged to attend.

Unfortunately Stevenage is very expensive for both living and socialising, due to the close proximity to London. It is extremely difficult to get good accommodation for less than £500 a month, and the local bars/pubs/restaurants aren't cheap. There are two Wetherspoons in the area which provide a 'cheap' night out, but the nightclubs are few and expensive.

As above, there isn't much nightlife in Stevenage. There are maximum three 'nightclubs' - Bar and Beyond, Cinnabar and Venue. Bar and Beyond is the most popular with half price drinks before 10pm, but often gets crowded due to the close proximity of the train station and lack of alternative venues. The two Wetherspoons in the area are decently priced, but also become very crowded very quickly. The best option is to get a 20 minute train to London, but the last train back to Stevenage is 1am. The next train after that is 6am.

Throughout the placement year, there were several group activities organised for both the department and the team. As a department, we took part in mini golf, bowling and group lunches. Participation was never forced - these events were a very casual event. Both the students and the full time members of staff were able to organise these events, and in general they were very well received.