Pharmaceutical Development Undergraduate Review

You are provided with sufficient responsibility to feel as if you are doing meaningful work for the company, and the people you interact with are very friendly and hard working. The workplace was modern, with an onsite canteen that offered a variety of food options. The fellow interns you begin to make friendships with because you are all in the same position and it creates a great environment in the workplace where you don't feel left out. The more senior colleagues have time to help you out if you ask for it - though if you don't ask it is unlikely to be forthcoming after the first month as they are usually busy.

I felt valued as a person here, which was a huge positive. As I was an intern I felt as though conversations about the business would be lost on me and senior colleagues may continue conversation without realising that new full time employees may need explanations about the business as a newcomer. You sometimes feel as if you could be doing more than what is required of you as they are conscious not to overload you with work and put you off - but I suppose that is part of the relationship you must nurture with your supervisor to get that balance right.

I met regularly with my supervisor in the form of a 1-to-1 meeting to discuss the week's agenda and work plans. It was the first time my supervisor had been in this sort of role and I would have appreciated more guidance and direction as in intern who knows comparatively very little about the business and work. They always ensured however that I was enjoying my placement and was always available for any queries or problems i encountered.

The day would generally consist of at least one meeting per day, lasting an hour in length, on average. As an intern it is generally up to you how busy you make yourself. You set plans and targets each week with your supervisor to progress on a project that may take the course of the whole placement or several projects running in parallel. It is important to be proactive with your supervisor to ensure you are not twiddling your thumbs at your desk.

I was surprised by how much responsibility we were given on placement. This included working and being trained on expensive laboratory equipment and working on research projects that help to further the understanding and knowledge of the department on a particular subject. As an intern you aren't typically involved in any business critical projects, however you are given the opportunity to improve processes or operations that may help the business moving forward in the future.

The skills you develop and learn, both soft and technical, serve as a great stepping stone in your educational and career path. I most certainly learned a lot in the 12 months between University years. Even if the work isn't similar to the degree you are studying, you gain many soft skills such as communication through presenting, and a greater awareness of business. You also learn to know what it's like to be a successful working professional.

The general atmosphere was relaxed yet focused. Conversations could be conducted at someone's desk as long as they didn't interfere with other people working nearby. There was plenty of baking competitions and opportunities for coffees with fellow workmates. All of the interns are sat together so that they can share conversation and ask each other questions if they need help with anything. This also facilitates relationships with your fellow interns and creates a good atmosphere in the office.

The first few weeks are spent training you using the company's online portal, and then you begin by sitting down with your supervisor to discuss the project(s) you may be involved in. Included in this conversation is a project proposal which outlines the overall goals, the background information and any learnings/conclusions that will benefit you and the department. However, throughout the year the project may be lead in a different direction, dependent on the way in which you think it should go, with the confirmation of your supervisor of course.

The company allows full time employees including placement students to partake in volunteering, including an additional 5 days of paid volunteering each year. This may include teaching science to primary school children, or gardening in the local community! There are also opportunities to improve presenting and public speaking with weekly toastmaster sessions available. My department included a lunchtime coding club that enabled us to improve our coding skills and help each other out if we were encountering any problems.

They offer graduate roles at the site and placement students are encouraged to apply to them, especially if you cast a good impression! The graduate roles available also vary widely due to the multinational size of the corporation.

In total, the cohort size of placement year students was roughly thirty people, not including apprentices who you also find yourself socialising with. This means that although the location is not in a city, you feel as though there is plenty to do and you soon find like minded people who you want to work with and hang around with! Lots of the interns lived in Ramsgate, which is approximately 20 minutes from the workplace and offers cheaper accommodation and more experiences available for young people.

Rent is approximately £400 per month, bills not included. The average price of a pint is approximately £3.30. Ramsgate, where most of the placement students lived, has only one club and so it enjoys a corner of the market in that sense. However, as the sea is close by there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy the British sea side in summer with friends and Margate is only a 10 minute train journey North from Ramsgate.

There are lots of pubs and restaurants available. There is only one club in Ramsgate and in Margate there is Dreamland which offer lots of music events for people. London is available via a 1.5 hr fast train if you were looking to have a weekend away with friends. If you are used to big city nightlife you might be surprised by the surrounding area as it lacks variety. What it lacks in variety it almost certainly makes up for with the character of regional clubbing.

There was a designated social team in my department whose role it was to organise social events for the whole department on a monthly basis. Trips might include after work drinks, trips to a restaurant and pub quizzes. The people are very friendly and assuring, which means that there are plenty of opportunities top socialise with colleagues outside of work. The placement student favourite is the pub quiz that is held on wednesday's in a Wetherspoons pub in Ramsgate.