Summer placement student Review

I have greatly enjoyed having the responsibility of managing my own project, its daunting at first but you build up to it and there are lots of people to help you find your way. I have learned so much in the short space of time that I've been here and found it to be a worthwhile and rewarding experience.

Coming in as a student you can feel a little out of your depth, but the warm welcome you receive immediately puts you at ease. From day 1 you are expected to be an active member of your team, once you're settled in expect to provide regular updates to your team about what you've been getting up to.

When you start you will meet with your supervisor who will give you all the information you need to get started. If you need anything they are your first port of call and always available to help. I have also had regular guidance and tips from my colleagues and project lead whenever I needed help.

Initially, expect to be a lot of reading! When you start no one is expecting the finished article, so initially your days will consist fully of training and SOPs to equip you for your project. Once you have started your project the workload can vary, but expect to do a mixture of experimental work followed by analysis, with days lasting around 8 hours.

You are treated as a member of the team and not as a student, after you have found your feet the onus is on you to make the most of your placement. You will find yourself responsible for your own project, if there is anything else you hope to get out of the placement its down to you to make it happen - but there are many people who can help you on the way.

Depending on your project some of the skills you gain, and training you receive, will be very niche. But the bigger focus here is on more general skills like: managing your time effectively, communicating with individuals from a variety of backgrounds and different levels of experience, and for me the biggest one has been networking! These more general skills are things you can take with you wherever you go.

Everyone in the office is very friendly, with the introduction of "hot desking" you can sit wherever you want each day allowing you to be as sociable as you like. Every week there are training events, conferences and activities like BBQs, picnics and walks that you can attend if you wish. I have had a great time in the office - some days don't feel like work at all!

From the get go I have had a set plan of what I am meant to be doing. Initially, my first 3 weeks were allocated to training and I had the flexibility to tackle that work how I liked. Before starting my project I had meetings with my supervisor and study lead to come up with a plan of action and timeline for my work. The important thing is to be realistic about what you can achieve in a set period of time and account or the unexpected.

I received basic training to equip me for life in the workplace and specific training which would be essential to carry out my project. GSK also offer training programmes that you can undertake in your spare time, I personally got to do some defibrillator training at no cost to myself. There are numerous different training schemes on offer... if you can find the time!

A placement at GSK by no means guarantees you a future role at the company. However, by spending time here you soak up a lot of the values and competencies that they are looking for in successful candidates. I have had several opportunities to register my details for future work and also had opportunities to apply for vacancies from within.

I got to meet my fellow summer placement students on the first day, it really helps to settle you in. Study days with different games and ice breakers have helped us get to know each other and we have lunch together each day. There have been a few opportunities to go out together as well - but this will be limited by where you are staying.

N/A - didn't live in area

N/A- didn't live in area

Outside of work you can go to the onsite gym and there is also a sports and social club which you can join. I personally did not as I was commuting to and from work, but my colleagues who did had a great time going for drinks and watching the football.