Complementary worker on assignment at GSK Review

I really enjoyed working at GSK, for the project I had, for the way people helped and treated me and for the work environment as a whole. There were occasionally moments of struggle but the positives definitely surpassed the negatives. It was an amazing experience during which I learned a great amount and made very valuable contacts for the future. Definitely recommend a placement at GlaxoSmithKline.

The working environment was really pleasant and friendly but at the same time professional. My contributions were valued and always considered when making decisions. I had opportunities to present my work at team meetings and was always heard with great interest from everyone involved. I did not feel like just a student but as someone contributing to important work being done.

My supervisor was very supportive. From the beginning until the end I always felt comfortable to ask questions and discuss anything I had doubts about. At the beginning I would perform the experiments under the supervision of my supervisor and then move on to more independent work but with them always available to help and answer questions. I felt specially supported during my project write up when my supervisor took the time to go through it with me and make adjustments and corrections to help me improve it. Not only my supervisor but everyone working at gsk around me was willing to help.

Depending on the week, and experiments planned, as well as meetings scheduled, the balance was different. Some weeks I was very busy with lots of lab work and data analysis but other weeks I would have to stay in the office doing minor things. The good thing is there were always lectures and talks going on which were very informative and interesting to attend if you did not have too much work. It got really busy at the time of the project writing. However, overall there was a good balance. It was different for every student depending on their project and their supervisor. At the end of the day it is up to you to get organised and plan your time well too.

The students at GSK usually work with tool compounds which are known not to progress further in the candidate selection process and are used, as the word says, "tools" to test different hypothesis and develop certain assays. However, it is still a big responsibility. You get to use state of the art machines and equipment as well as use very expensive substances. All of that requires responsibility. You get to design your own experiments as well, which means you are trusted to make the right decisions. I think there was a good balance with a high responsibility given to students as data was taken into account to make important decisions, but if anyone made a mistake it would not end in horrible repercussions to the company and there was always someone to confer with.

I received many valuable and very important skills for the future. All the laboratory work and practice in planning and running the experiments are definitely of help for the University and will be for the career in the future, such as PhD. All the presentations made me develop communication skills which are invaluable for job applications and just day to day work. I think the placement has definitely provided me with skills I will be using constantly at my last year of university and in the future career. Along with giving me a better view of what I want to do in the future and my options.

The atmosphere in the office is brilliant. Everyone is really friendly. The environment was professional but at the same time quite relaxed with people communicating and being there for anything you might need help with. My colleagues took the time from their own work to assist with issues that I might have been having. The offices were renovated so the conditions and the computers are really good. So that and the people around you make it a very nice and pleasant environment to work in.

In my opinion the placement year was very well set up and organised. Due to GSK accommodating students every single year, they have a scheme in place and it is already very well organised. The training was good as it was done together with all the students in the department which gave an equal start to everyone and an opportunity to get to know the other students doing the placement. The rest of the year was also well organised but it was mostly up to the student and supervisor and the results obtained, which would determine future work and how it would be planned. A negative aspect was the inefficiency of SRG- the company employing the students on behalf of GSK. They would constantly make mistakes in regards to holiday time and pay. However, this was a minor thing compared to how good the whole year was.

There were countless opportunities for personal development. Most of them would have to be done with the student's own initiative to pursue more and learn new things. Many lectures and talks were always running and students working at the company were allowed and encouraged to attend if work permitted. They were very informative and gave insight into confidential research going on all over the world. At team meetings important matters for the company were discussed in the presence of the students and therefore providing us with great insight into how the company works and what is important to make good drugs to help people. The training was detailed and very good. And you were given the chance to learn many techniques. Overall I think the company invested and keeps investing a lot in their students, however it is the student who has to show initiative to learn and find out new things.

There are various opportunities at the company. Amongst those are post-granduate schemes and PhD's. Because the company is so big there are many different openings and recruitment going on at any given time. Being there as a student was an amazing experience and showed that working there full time would be very rewarding indeed. Some of the students are known to come back and get permanent positions at the company. So it is definitely something that happens and is possible.

The students set up a network for all the students on placement at gsk. This is used to organise social and corporate events for all GSK sites. It is a very good idea and helps connect the students. However, most of the events are in London which is not ideal for students from other gsk sites. Depending how much someone is willing to travel and how much money they are willing to spend. But overall it depends on the students you are working with in your department. There are many per site so it's easy to make friends and organise things locally. Everyone is friendly so even the full time staff gets involved from time to time.

There were many chances especially for someone who enjoys sport there were always many things going on. This helped me stay fit and meet many people in the company from different departments. People would organise volleyball lunch time games, football, badminton. Anything you like. Even boxercise classes started off and it was great fun. It is only a matter of going and looking for it. Many fun things to do. This definitely brought many students and full time workers together and increases the team spirit. Would definitely recommend getting involved.