Biological Sciences Industrial Placement Review

I really enjoyed my placement year and it has solidified my confidence in choosing a research based career, particularly in the biopharmaceutical industry, in the future. My enjoyment stemmed from being given opportunities and responsibilities from early on in my placement, allowing me to fully experience life as a scientist working in industry. Although there were challenges- such as adjusting to the nine-to-five pattern in a fast-paced environment from university- friendly colleagues and lots of other placement students in the same boat as me really helped

From early on in my placement, I felt included and accepted as a valuable part of the team. Indeed, as time went on, I was often part of critical experiments and projects within my team and was treated as an equal with my non-placement colleagues. Furthermore, whenever I felt unsure or was struggling with something, I felt as if I could ask my team for help with confidence. Working within a smaller team, as was the case for most students, also helped strengthen the bond between us

I believe there was a good balance between guidance and independence with my supervisor. In my first few months, my supervisor made it clear the desired outcomes of my placement year and the first steps I would need to take. I was given many opportunities to shadow and train before carrying out experiments in the lab. Nonetheless, I was given more freedom towards the middle and end of the placement and felt it was more my responsibility to plan and carry out my project work, as well as volunteer to help out my team

The level of busy-ness varied from day-to-day, but overall I felt that there was a good balance. There were some weeks where we had numerous approaching deadlines and would have to spend whole days in the lab, and some weeks that were quieter which allowed me to catch up with written work and admin tasks. Even when things lulled a bit, I was still able to shadow my colleagues in the lab or find extra tasks to do

The first couple of months was spent mostly completing online training and shadowing my colleagues in the lab which, although provided a solid foundation, did feel a bit slow. However, I was given responsibilities and was able to start planning and working on my project fairly soon after this. Additionally, I was often involved in the team's main campaign work which was exciting as I was aiding in the development of therapeutics that could one day be used in humans

I believe that I have learned a lot during my placement year and I am sure this will assist me in the future. I spent a fair proportion of time in the lab and was able to experience and be trained on a variety of laboratory skills which I would not have experienced in university. Additionally, I spent a lot of time working within a team, both in the lab and in meetings, and thus developed good communication and cooperation skills. Working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic has also proved my ability to adapt and I hope this will provide useful with online lectures when I return for my final year

Generally, the office was quite quiet and people got on with their work. However, the atmosphere was more relaxed in the lab and this was where I was able to bond more with my colleagues

I definitely felt as if my overall placement was well set up, as shown by how well supported I was and the amount of experience and new opportunities I had. There was a good balance between training and hands-on experience and I never felt as if I lacked direction, either in my project or the year in general. My supervisor was always very helpful and was able to guide my next steps, and I was able to experience a huge variety of things in just one year

The first few months of my placement were spent training and I was able to develop a really strong foundation for the rest of the year. On top of this, my manager scheduled in monthly meetings to check up on my personal development and through this, I offered opportunities to develop including presentations and public speaking. IP Unite, the student-led support committee, also organised virtual events covering skills such as interview techniques and CV writing

I am definitely considering applying to GSK in the future, not only because of the opportunity to work in such an impactful and exciting sector, but also because of the support I have received throughout my placement year by the company. For instance, being able to work and be supported from home without my pay being cut during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Future Leaders Programme appears to be a great option for graduates and placement students are able to apply early for this

Having lots of other placement students was definitely a perk in my placement year- there were around 70 of us based in Stevenage. This meant there was always plenty of people to spend lunch breaks with and meet up after work or the weekend. Being able to share housing with other placement students also meant we could socialise as a house and made settling in easier. Furthermore, there were a couple of larger events throughout the year which were great fun- including the Christmas party and New Year's ball

Compared to my university city (Cardiff), the cost of living and housing was slightly more expensive as it was closer to London. However, I felt that my wages were sufficient to cover this cost comfortably and was able to save a fair amount of money whilst still being able to socialise and enjoy my time

There was not much nightlife in Stevenage where I was based compared to my university city, although there were a few pubs and bars in where I could meet up with other placement students. Outside of Stevenage, London is only a 20 minute train journey away

There were a few opportunities, such as the Orange Day scheme. This allows staff and placement students at GSK one paid day off work to support a community project or take part in a charity event. I was going to participate in the Big Bang science far, with travel paid for by GSK, but unfortunately this was cancelled due to COVID-19. Placement students can also apply to be part of IP Unite; the student-run support committee for placement students