Strain Improvement Microbiologist Review

I enjoyed the variety of jobs that my team had to do as part of the routine screen. Due to the variety of jobs it meant that each week tended to be different therefore the work didn't get repetitive. At times it did feel as though you were overstretched as there were not many members in my team

I felt quite valued. For example if you completed a job on behalf of another person they always were thankful and appreciative. However, often as an IP, I felt that if I was struggling with my workload they would not be as willing to help out as they were full time employees.

The support provided was excellent as I had monthly catchups with my line manager where we would see what I had completed that month and what I wanted to do over the next few months. It also provided me with the opportunity to have constructive feedback on my work as well as giving feedback on my manager.

Due to the small number of people in my team I was often very busy. However the majority of the time it felt like a manageable workload. I would often do two pieces of lab work in a day and these often fitted quite well around breaks. And even if you were less busy there was always work around the department that you could help out with.

Upon starting my placement I was told I would be treated as a normal member of staff therefore have a standard level of responsibility. This however was not the case as you have to be trained first and some jobs naturally lend themselves to people with more expertise which is understandable.

I have gained loads of different skills to use in the labs when I go back to uni, these will be especially useful in my final year project. I have also given presentations which has boosted my confidence amongst colleagues. Working in a team will also assist me in my further work as well as uni.

At times the office was quite quiet as the majority of the work we do is in the labs. However when more people are in the office people often have conversations so it is not always quiet. Some of the labs had radios which helped when you were in there for a long time.

As a GSK IP student you are technically working for SRG who is a recruitment group. They are quite unorganised and take a long time to get back to you with all the paperwork you need to complete before starting. Also I was not given any information from my line manager as to what I would be doing so it was quite hard to know what to expect.

GSK has an online training platform therefore there is always training that can be done. We had courses such as fire safety training and lifting and handling which are extremely important for safety and will be very useful outside of my placement. At the start there was a lot to learn but the company gives you time to complete the training.

There is a graduate scheme which, if you want to apply and your manager puts you forward for, you can be fast-tracked to the assessment centre for. This however is extremely competitive therefore is hard to get onto. However there is also direct entry as an option which also gives you good opportunities

The placement students in all of GSK have a student group called IP unite. Through that there was a summer boat party and a Christmas ball organised. There were also emails sent around when people where having socials which was really good. There were approx. 20 students at my site therefore you didn't feel like you were alone.

The site I worked at is based in the south therefore the prices were very similar to London prices. However wherever you go, there are always cheaper alternatives like weatherspoons! As a student though you are able to get discount on quite a lot of things so there is opportunity to save money

In the town where my site was there was not really any nightlife however we were a 30min train journey to Brighton which as loads of options. There is also a night bus which runs when you want to go home, although this does take over an hour to get all the way back.

There are lots of sports clubs, gyms and interest groups in the town therefore there is always something for everyone. Outside of work colleagues would often meet up to go for drinks, to go to the beach or take part in sports which is a good release from your day to day job.