Placment student Review

The work on my placement was enjoyable and related closely to my interests in science and in a future career. I was also allowed to explore other departments beyond my own to expand my knowledge and interests in the field, as well as participate in charity and outreach events organised by the company.

My project was based on a study coming to its conclusion, so at times felt that there was (perhaps understandably) other priorities to be addressed.

My supervisor was fantastic at providing suitable support when required and was nearly always available and able to be contacted. If my supervisor was unavailable, the rest of the department and management team were always more than happy to help and to provide guidance and support where it was required.

My project was rather small in the grand scheme of the department and so at times I found myself with little to do. However, at times I found extremely busy on certain days, particularly on days where a lot of lab work was planned, and I was also able to fill some free time by shadowing other colleagues.

I was primarily responsible for ensuring my own project was running smoothly, from the planning of experiments to ordering in the required reagents to scheduling appropriate deadlines for my results write ups. However, I was not given many responsibilities outside of my own project work.

I was allowed to experience numerous techniques and develop skills that will prove useful to my final year project and career beyond that. The techniques and skills I have developed in cell culture and drug treatment apply directly to a wide variety of roles and projects I may undertake in the future.

The office is quite a quiet space with a little chatter now and then - most people understandably want to get on with work. There are a few coffee rooms around that you can go to for a short break and a chat with colleagues, and people frequently bring in cakes and snacks for the office.

There was a very good structure to my placement - I set up a recurring weekly meeting with my supervisor to run through any issues and plans for the upcoming week and always had a clear idea of what was expected of me and what I'd be doing to progress my project.

There is a large amount of training provided at the start of the placement to get you up to speed with safety procedures and techniques you may have otherwise not encountered, as well as opportunities to attended extra courses centring around various software packages and analysis tools that may be useful. There is also a STEM ambassador and outreach programme as well as plenty of opportunities to do charity work.

There are dedicated graduate programmes known as Future Leader programmes which are heavily advertised and promoted during your time here, but none relate directly to any R&D roles. It is possible to obtain a recommendation from your manager to have an advantage in the application process for the FLP roles should you decide to apply.

There is a scheme known as IP Unite at GSK which is responsible for organising activities within sites and with other sites from across the country, including a Christmas party and summer boat party. Each site has its own ambassador responsible for organising activities such as weekend day trips or evening activities such as cinema trips.

Ware is quite an expensive place to live, being so close to London. Rent can be cheap if you look early enough and find a suitable place but can be very expensive if not. Similarly, activities can be expensive and it is best to keep a budget in mind when planning.

Nightlife is poor in Ware - there area lot of pubs but no nightclubs whatsoever. There is a nightclub in nearby Hertford along with some bars. This is not a student area though, and London and Cambridge are easily accessible with some forward planning if nightlife is an important aspect.

There is an active STEM and outreach programme at GSK which encourages both IP Students and full time employees to engage with schools from the surrounding area in activities such as work experience weeks and science shows to inspire them on to future careers in science, as well as numerous opportunities to help out in raffles, cake sales and other activities to raise money for nominated site and company charities.