Industrial Placement Review

I really enjoyed working on a variety of projects that were relevant to current projects at GSK, and would benefit the business. While the theory behind most of the work I was doing relied on the skills I had learned at university, the application of the work required me to pick up and learn many new skills, something which I found challenging but very enjoyable.

Everyone at GSK made me feel very valued, and people were always willing to put in a lot of time to teach and show me new things. I received valuable feedback for my work, and colleagues would thank me when I did something that was good. Also, people would say hi, and were always happy to chat (about anything, not just work)

(I has 2 supervisors, as one left the company half way through my placement to go to another job) Both my supervisors were very supportive and took an interest in the work I had. They were always happy to provide guidance where I was stuck/confused, and kept in regular contact with me.

It varied throughout the year; because for some tasks I had to wait for other people to complete something, so I worked a little less, and sometimes other people were waiting for me to complete tasks, so I would work a little longer. Generally though, the balance of work was good, and I never felt bored.

I was surprised by the trust that people put in me whilst on placement, however I was never given any responsibility that I did not feel comfortable with.

I am still on my placement, so am not too sure on this one; however, I have developed analytical, coding, and engineering skills, as well as soft skills such as presentation and meeting skills; I am sure these will help me in my future career. My work ethic has also improved whilst on placement

The office was a very friendly environment. I worked in a department that had their own desks (not hot desking like some others), and my desk was very nice. I had a view out of the window, and could occasionally see rabbits. Also, working in an office meant I could ask people from different backgrounds for help with my work.

The placement was well organized, with plenty of opportunities for general professional development.

The company puts a lot of emphasis on early talent, and sees the importance of investing in undergraduates / recent graduates. I received a lot of training on a variety of things. At the place of work there were many lectures and seminars put on, which were available to everyone. Some of these were useful for my professional development, and some I attended just because I was vaguely interested in the subject and keen to learn more.

The future prospects within the company were very good, and very well communicated. There were many talks about how the different grad schemes and direct entry rolls were available to us, and the format of these. However the department I am in was recently downsized, so I am not sure whether I would be able to go back to the same position.

yes, at my site there were around one hundred and forty placement students, and almost all were very social. There were student socials put on by our "I P union" which included nights out (e . g. boat party) and a movie night at work. There were also events such as quizzes on site.

As there was no university in the town that I was in, the nightlife was fairly limited. However there were plenty of bars and places to party, but most of the clubs had a "so bad it's good" cheesy kind of vibe. London wasnt too far away however, which was pretty good.