Industrial Placement Student Review

I really enjoyed my time at GSK, it is really valuable being able to work in an environment where you are surrounded by professionals. I really enjoyed the extensive lab work as well as getting a taste for office work. I enjoyed being involved in meetings and having a say in the work I was doing.

I feel very valued by my team, I know that the work I do helps them out and it is appreciated. My supervisor has been fantastic and is always on hand for help even during busy days. Sometimes you are not able to talk to the wider department therefore you are limited in the people you have contact with and work with.

My supervisor has been fantastic throughout the year. No question was too silly to ask and she always had time to help me out. We had set up bi weekly meeting to discuss progress through the placement. I also feel that I could approach her with any problem and she would help to resolve this.

The work load varies depending on the experiments you have planned. During an experiment there is a lot of lab work and this is followed by analysis and the writing up of your work. There can be quieter weeks in which you have no lab work planned however there is always reading to be done to broaden your understanding of your results.

I feel I was given a lot of responsibility. I would often have to carry out experiments that were of high importance. I would need to produce high quality data and present this back to the team in a timely manner. There were times in which I had to continue other people's experiments whilst they were on holiday.

I have most definitely developed skills that will last a lifetime! I have gained extensive laboratory skills in various techniques. I have also developed in my presentation skills as you are required to present fairly often. All of the skills learnt on placement will aid my final year studies including scientific writing.

The office environment is allows you to get on with work in a great atmosphere and also allows you to reach out to other scientists. The office is run under a hot desking scheme which allows you to choose where you sit for the day. Many of the students sat together which allowed you to make friends quickly. You can also choose to sit next to specific people for help when it is necessary.

The placement was set up very well. GSK have been running placement years for a long time now and know how to get it right. The introductory training was run very well and was very informative. There were always points of contact for help and you could approach anyone if you weren't sure of something.

The company pairs you with a specific supervisor and this allows you to be trained in a very intimate way. This means that more questions can be asked for more understanding. There is also the opportunity to visit other sites to understand other roles in the company which is great for development. There are also various seminars throughout the year to extend you knowledge.

Whilst you are on placement there is the opportunity to apply for the grad scheme internally. This allows you to fast track some elements. However this is not tailored to R&D graduates but more towards the business side of the company. A PHD is recommended to be able to work back in the company as a scientist.

On site there is a group called IPUnite. This group organises social events for IPs such as a winter ball and a summer boat party along with smaller site independent events. There are many socials with in the department such as pub lunches and Christmas events. There are also socials such as laser tag!!

The cost of renting is relatively okay considering you are only 20 minutes away from the centre of London. Socialising isn't too expensive with bus routes that can take you all around Stevenage. There are cheap supermarkets around and the cost of bills is about average. The pay you get will cover all of this.

There are only a few pubs around Stevenage. There is one club in the main leisure centre! The best idea for a night out is too go in to London as trains run quite late into the night. There is also Hitchin which has nice cocktail bars and more pubs which makes for a nice night out.

There weren't many opportunities but as mentioned there were many social events within work hours.