IP in Genetic Toxicology and Photosafety Review

by GSK

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

3.6/5
  • The Role
    4.0
  • The Company
    3.3
  • The Culture
    3.3

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • I have thoroughly enjoyed my placement year. I have developed a lot more practical skills and have therefore progressed as a scientist. I have had great opportunities and an excellent project that motivated me to do well. However, I wish I had the opportunity to do more activities such as an IP swap etc. however, I didn't have time for this as I was in the lab majority of the time.

    4/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • I felt valued to an extent by my colleagues. If I help anyone in the department I will always be thanked and have built a good relationship with those who I support.

    3/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • My manager would always support me and give valuable feedback on any reports or presentations etc. My supervisor was always more than happy to help me with anything I didn't understand and always complimented myself on my work ethic, organisation skills and initiative which was very heart warming. Her confidence in my abilities reassured me that I always had support and guidance whenever I needed it.

    4/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • Taking into account the placement as a whole, I was quite balanced in my work load. However, there was many weeks where I had to do overtime, and was in the lab all day all week in order to cover my own experiments plus prep for colleagues experiments within the department. This was hectic and exhausting but, there were other weeks where my work load wouldn't be as intense in the lab and I could catch up on work in the office.

    3/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • I was given a lot of responsibility during my placement - I conducted all experiments for my project and the data analysis in addition to reporting back to project teams with my supervisor. In addition, I had many responsibilities supporting other colleagues within my department; my role was to subculture cells, weigh out compounds required and prep for their experiments in terms of labelling falco tubes, sterilins, 96-well plates etc. I was therefore always kept busy due to the numerous roles I had within the department.

    5/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • I have developed great practical skills with my lab experience which will remain with me through the remainder of my studies. In addition, the main skill that will aid in my studies is independence. During placement, everything was my responsibility, I was never told what to read or research, this was up to me on what I think I should know and benefit from. As I go into final year of university I have been warned that there is a lot more independent work therefore I know I will be able to cope perfectly fine as I have already been doing independent work for a year and how to prioritise work load.

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • The office was pretty balanced in terms of fun and quiet. Everyone would get their work done in peace but could still have a laugh in between. Unfortunately, there were a few times I had to book a private meeting room as another department would continuously talk very loudly which would disrupt my working.

    3/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • The beginning of placement was a little shaky as I didn't have a set project due to work that was on-going at the time. However, once I got my project and everything was up and running everything was very organised and I was trained well in advance of my project starting which really benefited me.

    4/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • As it was my responsibility to research for my project, my supervisor and manager would sometimes ask for my opinion or ask me for background on the subject which made me feel valued.

    3/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Company Parties/Events

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop

    Working from home
    4/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • I have decided not to apply for a graduate scheme with the company but, I know that if the opportunity came I would definitely do a phD or get a job with the company - everyone values one another and praises each other, fantastic culture. I will definitely keep in contact with employees to be kept in the loop with any upcoming opportunities.

    4/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • Majority of the students all got on incredibly well and I can definitely said I have made amazing friends that I will want to keep in contact with. We always had a social night at least once a week to catch up whether this involved a local pub quiz, nights out, games night, coffee etc. We have even planned a reunion for next year once we all graduate!

    5/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • It was a little expensive but, that was to be expected in England.

    3/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • The Nightlife was decent. Plenty of pubs and a few nightclubs.

    4/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • If you applied to be a STEM ambassador there were plenty of opportunities.

    3/5
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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

International

July 2019

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