Service Support Analyst Review

I really enjoyed my year long IT Placement at GSK. The IT department, or 'tech organisation' as it's now referred to, was going through some pretty big changes at the time including the introduction of a new CDTO, but this did not negatively impact my year, in many ways it added to the enjoyment and brought about new opportunities and challenges.

The GSK Tech organisation is split into Tech Platforms and Tech Operations. My team fell under operations and there was a clear organisational structure, which helps a lot when it comes to feeling valued. I certainly felt valued by my line manager who was very supportive throughout my placement and I also felt that those higher up valued and appreciated the work I did. Discussing individual successes in meetings was just on of the ways this was shown.

My line manager was incredibly supportive throughout my placement year, he understood my skill level and provided many opportunities for me to develop new skills. He was always approachable and would set aside time for one-on-one meetings to discuss my progress along with any problems or issues that I may have been facing.

As GSK hires many interns for different roles in a number of teams, it's natural that some will be busier than others. My team was just coming to the conclusion of a project when I joined, so I was involved in usability testing at first before moving on to end user support when the system launched. It was incredibly fast-paced and I was never bored, even on slow days there was always work to catch up on.

I was incredibly lucky to have joined the team just as a new system was launched. This allowed me to build up an expert knowledge of the system on-par with my colleagues, which naturally meant I was given more and more responsibility in terms of end user support. I'm sure not all interns at GSK will have the same high level of responsibility, it really does just depend upon the team you are with, what activities/projects they are undertaking and the level of resources they have.

The skills I developed over my placement year at GSK will definitely benefit me for my final year of study and provide a significant boost to my CV for future graduate job applications. The training I revived and the extra courses and volunteering work I took part in, will also have a big impact.

GSK House in Brentford, London is a really great place to work. Each of the 12 floors are open plan with a kitchen and communal area and there are plenty of meeting rooms available. Even though it felt open and spacious, there were busy times where you would find it difficult to secure a seat in the area you wanted, a downside of 'hot-desking'.

The first 2-3 months of placement were organised very well, I spent most of my time with my manager, learning the ropes and training. After this initial period, I felt like a full member of the team, rather than an intern, so I worked to add value to the team and complete jobs that needed doing. There were still opportunities for personal development though, such as volunteering, factory visits and qualified training courses.

I took part in two formal training courses, the first was for Project Management and the second was an ITMS foundation award. These courses lasted 1 week each and were provided by learning tree, a third party training body. I would also consider the various volunteering opportunities to be a form of personal development, such as helping out at the GSK charity awards ceremony in the London science museum.

I would consider GSK to be highly appealing for graduate positions and direct employment in various fields, including GSK Tech, which the company is focusing on a lot more in terms of innovation and improving current service levels. I would certainly consider accepting a role in GSK's Future Leaders graduate program after my placement year experience.

GSK's IP Unite organised a number of large social gatherings including a 'Christmas ball' and 'boat party'. Also as there are many interns at GSK making friends and socializing was made a lot easier.

It really depends upon the individual but I thought, although expensive London prices, the cost of living was pretty good and in-line with my salary. Nights out in London can be crazy expensive so often finding a good local pub is the best option!

There are a few good pubs in Brentford, but for nightlife you want to either visit Ealing 15min bus ride away, of get the Tube into central London, approx 40mins.

There were many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work, mostly sporting events but also volunteering for internal GSK events and charities.