Process Development Technologist Review

I enjoyed my placement alot, I was involved in process validation using a temperature data logger - ensuring that the industrial processes were properly temperature controlled. It was very interesting and a very marketable skill I can see myself using in the future.

I felt like I was doing real work to contribute to the running of the factory, it wasn't busy work. It is a very large company so of course there are exceptions but on the whole I did feel valued

Extremely well supported, I had a very well established support chain of my manager, a mentor assigned to me by the IP program at a seperate site that I met with every month and of course an IP supervisor in case an issue needed to escalate.

Very busy, the only irritating part is that the Samworth facilities are operational 24 hours a day, not everything that happened in the factory fits a 9-5 schedule and therefore staying late is an unavoidable eventuality. I wouldnt have minded this but I don't feel as though it was properly kept track of and compensated for.

Quite a lot, I was responsible for the data logging as well as guiding a few products through from development to factory launch. It was daunting initially but very rewarding

The skills I've learned are beyond valuable. My knowledge of industry has skyrocketed seeing everything being done first hand. The skills in process validation are transferrable to countless different industries as every industrial process requires validation to ensure it is working correctly. The necessity of team work also encouraged growth in my ability to both lead and follow.

Fun! A lot of jokes but when necessary it quieted down and become a lot more serious

Very well organised, Samworth use a 2 six month placement structure and they try to make the two placements as varied as possible to encourage maximum exposure and growth to the company. However I was not told what facility I would be placed at until roughly 6 weeks before I started so sorting out things like holiday and whether a change in address would be necessary was very stressful. I would definitely have liked to know sooner

A lot, in my first few weeks I was on a food hygiene course and received a qualification for it. It seems like Samworth are trying to bring full time employees into the business through the placement scheme. If you are a fit with Samworth they will pour a lot of resources into you to ensure you stay

Quite appealing, the company tend to promote from within so the opportunity to progress is high. I would certainly consider it

Very good, I was limited by commuting around an hour each way but certainly their were a lot of socials to get involved in. There was a facebook page of all the industrial placement students to keep in touch with one another

Very cheap, the east midlands is not a very expensive place to live and go out

Leicester was not great for clubs but nearby places like birmingham and coventry are very fun

There is always something going on, whether its intra-company cricket matches or go carting somethings always happening