GPSS Analytics Summer Intern Review

I have really enjoyed my internship as it is my first taste of a full time job which has given me invaluable insight into the company and key skills required to succeed.

I was working in a small team where I was only required to interact with one or two other individuals within the team. All other communication was via email and therefore I did not feel a hugely valuable asset to my team. However they were always happy to answer questions I had.

I was given plenty of support by my manager. I ensured that I booked in time for 1-1's where we could discuss what I had been doing with valuable feedback/praise. This time also gave me an opportunity to maintain an almost constant workload.

Some days were busier than others, in particular the days where my manager was busy I tended to have less to do.

I was given quite a bit of responsibility, dealing with important documents and making resources which were used and will continue to be used in the training of future users of the system I was working on.

I have developed my people and communication skills. I have also developed my time management and concentration which will aid me greatly in revision periods during the rest of my degree studies. Working in an office environment has been a great experience.

There was always a very positive atmosphere in the office, everyone was very friendly and took regular breaks with each other to keep a good balance of working and relaxing. There were days where certain teams were busier than others and this would create a more serious atmosphere.

The internship sees that you are set up with a manager who gives you a project to be working on to add value to the company. I felt my manager was perhaps too busy to be able to have enough time for the experience to have had maximum positive effect on my growth. There were weekly catch up meetings with the other interns which allowed us to see what people were doing and ensure there were no huge problems.

It is clear that GSK invests a lot of resources into their employees personal development and training, however as a contract worker/summer intern, there was less opportunity for this.

As a company I know GSK is a place I could see myself in the future as their values align with my own and this is important for me. There is also a lot of emphasis on development and wellbeing of employees which is appealing.

Myself and the other interns in my department were very close which meant we would meet for lunch everyday and occasionally outside of work. However I am aware that this has not been the case for previous years intern intake.

Being located in London meant going for drinks with the team after work was quite expensive. I also chose to commute in to work from home everyday which meant an hour train journey which is costly, however this meant I saved on London living expenses and food!

I didn't sample the nightlife during my time at my internship however living close to London means I am aware that there are plenty of options and great places.

There was a social event on Thursdays every other week and a rounders session arranged once. We also as a team went to the Ealing Beer Festival which was good fun.