Industrial Placement Student - Bioinformatics and Oncology Review

I really enjoyed it. The year has been, mostly, so much less stressful than university. Everything I have learnt has been useful and applied, I really feel like I am making a difference and what I am doing is useful. I feel as though I have developed a lot as a person too - I've become a lot more confident, I started out the year very quiet, now if I have something to say in a meeting I will actually speak up! And some of the things I have said have been taken into account - that really makes me feel like I have become part of the company instead of being just a student who is in the way! All the work I have done has been really interesting to me too! I think that has also been taken into account - I tend to get given things my supervisor knows I will enjoy doing. Which is wonderful!

I would say I felt valued - especially about 8 months in when I became more confident with what I was doing. Then people would come and ask me for things - as I was doing a bioinformatics placement, I was able to help out with data analysis and visualisation on projects I wasn't originally part of!

I was given a lot of support, but then a lot of things I was expected to do alone or just preferred to do alone. I think this very much depends on what sort of person you are. I like support when I ask for it and that was given a lot of the time. I'm less keen on being suffocated by guidance, sometimes you've just got to do it yourself and find out! I think I was sometimes given a bit too much guidance which stopped me from thinking about what I was doing. But I did try to escape that as quickly as possible!!

It sort of depends what day of the week it was and when it was. To begin with I don't think I was given enough work - but then my supervisor was surprised at how fast I was getting through it, so I think he was just holding back on things thinking I wouldn't get it all done. Then it balanced out a bit and I have enough, but could also go for a cuppa without feeling guilty. Towards the end I had a lot more to do, it feels like an endless task list - but that is because I have to get everything finished off and I have presentations and posters to make. It is definitely going to be a sprint finish!! - But I think it is pretty much like that on all placements!

To begin with very little, which was a very good idea because I had no clue. Later on though, I was running the odd meeting, meeting up with people without my supervisor and helping out with projects my supervisor wasn't working on. I wasn't running everything and obviously, as everyone else knows a lot more than me, that is a good thing. But I was given some responsibility. It was mostly analysing and visualising data for various projects, but I did feel like I was being helpful and making my own decisions instead of being led by the hand through everything!

I think they will really help. I learnt to code in MATLAB and that is just incredibly applicable to everything as it is - even though I have only learnt a set of commands, it is like learning a language, once you know some working out how to do something else is very easy. Beyond that I have learnt a lot of other skills, I've become a lot more confident around people, I have learnt about loads of different jobs you can do in biology, and I've found a real passion for coding!

It depended which department you are in. People who work on computers are stereotypically quieter, and they were I think. I didn't sit with them, I sat in a different area of the office, so I didn't get to know them as well. I worked with a couple of other departments too, they were a little louder, but again I didn't get the chance to know them well because I was between projects and areas. I knew a few people who sat around me and often chatted to them, but most of the time I just wanted to work! Outside of that there was a network of graduates, placement students, and apprentices that were constantly organising events, so that was great!

It was very well organised. I wasn't overly sure what I was going to end up doing once I arrived or how far the project would progress, but I think that is just the way it is in science. Once things were decided I was usually told pretty quickly and I could then get on with it.

I did a reasonable amount of training - went to free or pilot courses mainly as I didn't know if I was allowed to go on paid courses. Some students were allowed to go on basically every one, others were only allowed one or two, it depended which department you were in. But generally, even outside of courses, my supervisor encouraged me to meet people and to talk to them without him to improve my confidence.

I would strongly advise getting a job with them. The company has some really good ethical views and the science they are doing is incredible. Everyone is so friendly too, very much willing to help and collaborate with different areas. There is also loads of development and volunteering opportunities and you get to find out about a range of areas even if you are not working in them as there are talks each week!

There was a network specifically set up for placement students, graduates and apprentices as well as any early career researchers. There were social events as well as symposiums of talks on science. There were quite a few students too, which I think helped, as you were likely to find people you get along with.

It was pretty expensive I suppose. I don't drink and I feel as though that saved me a lot of money. Housing was expensive-ish, it depended on where you lived and how far you were willing to travel to get to things. I did manage to save up for next year at uni though!

I am not a person to answer this question as I did not drink or go out. I don't really have a nightlife, I was in bed haha There are some great cafes and restaurants though, if you prefer to spend your money on good food during the day! There is also a huge market that sells amazing street food.

There was a lot of STEM outreach and volunteering programmes organised. We went along to the science fair and ran activities for kids. There was also clubs on at lunchtimes - like I went to Toastmasters which helps you out with your public speaking in a really friendly environment! There was a running club and rounders during the summer too!