This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
Thoroughly enjoyed the placement. Gave a real insight into the career of science. There was so many learning and development opportunities. The team members were all supportive and ensured a challenging but friendly environment was there. The placement was fun and there was always so much to do to keep you busy.
I felt very valued by my colleagues. They ensured I was involved in all the team stuff including some decision making and compound making. They were supportive and verbally expressed how pleased they were when I carried out something that was deserving of appreciation. They gave me the confidence to speak out giving a real sense of purpose to the team.
I was given a lot of support and guidance by my supervisor at the start of the placement. This progressively decreased as the year went on as I would become more confident and less dependent. Even though this was the case I knew my supervisor would be happy to offer me any help I required.
Very busy, but in a good way. There was always stuff to do whether it be compound making or theory behind the synthesis or literature research to think of new routes. At times this did feel like too much but you just have to prioritise and the supervisor will be completely okay with this.
I was given a fair amount of responsibility. Enough to feel needed and worthy in the team but not that I was running the show as obviously there is a 'hierarchy'. I worked on a project where the route required development and I had a real sense of achievement when I helped toward improving this.
The skills I have developed will help me so much. I have gained so much confidence in the lab, presenting and also socially. The on the job everyday learning has also improved my knowledge in science and it so good to be part of a team with a variety of experiences from PHD students, graduates and full time employees.
The Company
We had a really good atmosphere in the lab. There was a variety of ages and positions here which helped toward this. The lab was so much fun, there was music and everyone enjoyed working there so we had a laugh. Everyone was also very supportive, if you needed help, anyone would give it to you.
The placement was organised very well. They have a partnership with my uni so hear about it through them but it was also advertised online. The interview for the job was very convenient in the sense that the interviewer came to the uni, which was very organised. The set up of the application was well and also the familiarisation day and training in Bristol for the first week was very organised.
They invested a lot of time an effort into our personal training and development. They made themselves available to teach us how to use the equipment and the theory behind it. They also set up regular one to one talks where you can express an interest in what you want to develop.
Company Parties/Events
Very appealing. I would love to come back and work for GSK. The atmosphere and learning is incredible.
The Culture
There was a very good social scene amongst the colleagues. I became very close with my team and we went on many socials together including pub lunches and evening events. It made the whole experience so much more enjoyable and working with them throughout the day was a lot of fun, joking around but also learning so much.
The cost was okay, pretty standard for near London. You just need to look around and find the right places.
The nightlife was okay, we went to a pub every Friday which was lots of fun. Also London is close enough to visit which was quite popular for a few people.
There was a few opportunities, just depends what you are into. There are sport clubs, gyms and pubs.
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Science
London
August 2018