This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.
Rating
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The Role
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The Company
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The Culture
- 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?
- 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?
- 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?
- 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?
- 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?
- 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?
- 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?
- 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?
- 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?
- 10. What were the perks on your work placement?
- 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?
- 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?
- 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?
- 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?
- 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?
The Role
Not always the most interesting or glamorous job in the world but it provides a good challenge and allows me to learn lots of new skills which is what I like!
My colleagues have always treated me with respect, I never felt I did not have their support if I needed it.
Management is fantastic, it is not too hands on so you do not feel suffocated in your role. You had alot of freedom, but this meant that you needed to be proactive in trying to source out work, this is quite a useful skill and shows your keen. My manager is very supportive and knows what he is doing, espcially since he was a IP student himself.
I do ocassionally get bored, work comes in ebbs and flows, if nobody requires our services then there is not much to go around. I try to find small projects I can work on to pass the time when I feel like things are slow, or just ask for work or offer my help, usually there is something I can get involved in.
My responsibility has gradually increased over the year, naturally at the beginning my responsibility was pretty low due to my lack of knowledge. But as I learnt more about my role I have asked for more responsibility and I have been given it.
GSK have their own training system where you can do tons of online training courses! My manager has always been supporting of my development and they have spent a thousands of pounds developing me in both technical and soft skills.
The Company
Open plan office means there is a lack of privacy, so talking loud is not reccommended! But there is always amusing office banter supplied by the usual suspects which keeps things light!
I did not have a laptop for a couple of days, although this was because of technical reasons. So those days were pretty boring, I spent it reading and twiddling my thumbs! The HR team managing the IP programme could do alot better in helping their students settle in. However measures are underway to make this better...
Great! They invested lots of money in givine me training courses from simple things like using Lotus Notes to getting a ITIL qualification!
Flexi Time
Company Parties/Events
Staff Sales/Staff Shop
Above 25 days holiday
An enjoyable year, and I would be happy to stick around!
The Culture
There are loads of placement students in GSK, problem is finding them all! Most often then not they will work in different departments and it depends how much effort you are willing to put in to find them . I have made a few good friends during the year which is great.
London is hardly the cheapest place for a student to live, socialising is not bad if you know where to go!
West London is hardly the most buzzing place, but you are only a stones throw away by train, bus or tube to somewhere exciting in central London.
GSK often do work socials, trips to the pub, restaurants and parties! GSK also have a gym and sports clubs so you can get involved in those too!
Details
Placement (10 Months+)
Information Technology
London
April 2014