Summer Placement Engineering Compliance Review

The placement was for the most part an enjoyable experience. Taking part in tasks such as helping manage international audits was a particular highlight. However, the main issue I had with the enjoyment of my placement was during the stretches of time in which I had very little work to do.

GSK and it's employees were incredibly welcoming during my time in the placement. Everyone I spoke with was happy to help with any issues or answer any queries I had. The only real issue on this front is the fact I was tasked with a good chunk of busy work, such as filing, which felt like it could have been done by anyone.

The guidance and support I received during this placement from GSK staff was beyond impeccable. Particularly my boss was very helpful in directing me in my projects and weekly tasks. The only lack of guidance I have experienced concerning this placement was the lack of information given by SRG surrounding the paperwork I had to fill before starting the placement.

During this placement I have become much more confident in communicating with people whom I don't really know. This has been evidenced by the large emails I have become accustomed to sending during the placement, which recipients included members of the GSK site whom were on the upper levels of the hierarchy.

The structure of this placement was okay, with my main projects and tasks laid out clearly for me at the beginning of the placement. However, the major issue with structure I have had during this placement comes from the lack of preparation for my arrival. This is because I didn't have access to vital resources needed for my project for a large proportion of my placement.

The general atmosphere during my placement was certainty a positive one. This was mainly due to the people at GSK being very friendly and helpful. The only specific issues was the slightly to light workload which meant that on occasion I would be sitting at my desk with little to do.

The company invested a good amount into my person in terms of personal training. This was shown through their use of the MyLearning program and also the hosting of skills workshops, specifically ones focusing on presenting skills. There was also opportunity to meet people who m were on early leaders programs and experience their insight.

I don't believe this placement was a strong example of what it would be like to work at GSK full time. this is mainly due to the short length of the placement, which meant there was not enough time for me to be trained in all the aspects a permanent member of staff would.

There was a large amount of focus on integrating me with the company's culture during my time in this placement. This was done through training days and multiple documents I was instructed to read concerning the good practices the company wished for it's employees to follow. This was good on behalf of the company.

The content of the day was certainly beneficial in helping me decide on my future career path. This is because I enjoyed the work in which I was being creative through problem solving and building spreadsheets. However I wasn't too interested in some of the other tasks such as filing and simple data entry.

I believe the wage I revived during my time on this summer placement was very impressive and somewhat generous. Furthermore, I had no issues with receiving any of these payments, they were all payed on the day they were expected, were always the correct amount and I had no issues with incorrect taxing or anything of the sort.

There were many opportunists for me to network with other employees with the company. I was bale to have communications with high ranking employees through email and was invited to important meetings. Furthermore I was able to enter other areas of the site, including production, and given tours of these areas.

I was invited to numerous social event opportunities. These ranged from work based opportunities, such as the celebration day I attended and meetings with the other summer placements. I was also invited to out of work social events by colleagues, such as meals. Overall I believe the company to have done a very good job.

At GSK the communications team kept me updated with many activities that I could get involved in both outside and inside of work. This included huge company wide events such as a summer activity event in which employees were encouraged to exercise well and regularly. This event was a team based competition which helped increase involvement.

I would certainly recommend this placement to a friend as I feel the experience has been very beneficial for me. It has both increased my confidence in communicating with people and helped me develop new transferable skills. Furthermore the placement has been enjoyable on the whole, which is another reason for me to recommend this placement.