Synthetic Organic Chemist Industrial Placement Student Review

by GSK

Best Student Employer

This review was submitted over 4 years ago, so some of the information it contains may no longer be relevant.

Rating

2.8/5
  • The Role
    3.3
  • The Company
    2.5
  • The Culture
    2.3

    The Role

  • 1. To what extent did you enjoy your work placement or internship?

    • I enjoyed the placement. However, the sheer amount of university work I had to complete on top of a full time job made the year incredibly difficult to enjoy fully. I'd recommend taking a year out from university to take full advantage of the opportunity you have.

    2/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • They were extremely accommodating and helpful, making every effort to make us feel welcome and part of the team.

    4/5
  • 3. To what extent were you given support and guidance by management/your supervisor(s)?

    • Fantastic support and guidance has been offered throughout the entire year. I've improved much more than I thought I would throughout this year.

    3/5
  • 4. How busy were you on a daily basis?

    • This really depended on how you managed your own time. If you didn't stay organised then you would become too busy or bored through surges and absences of work to do. This is Chemistry related, so I can only offer my opinion on this subject area.

    4/5
  • 5. How much responsibility were you given during your placement?

    • We were responsible for all of the work that we carried, but we were closely supervised throughout the entire process. This was very performance based. Thus, the better you performed, the more responsibility you were given.

    4/5
  • 6. To what extent did/will the skills you developed, and training you received, assist you in your degree studies and beyond?

    • The skills developed during my placement with GSK will hugely help with my final year at university! I'll probably go back and wonder how I ever managed to be so bad at chemistry before my placement!

    5/5

    The Company

  • 7. What was the general atmosphere in your office?

    • During work hours everyone is mostly focused on their job and there was little conversation not to do with the project. However, during tea breaks and lunch the atmosphere was enjoyable and friendly.

    3/5
  • 8. How well organised was the overall work placement or internship set up?

    • Fantastically organised. Everything was nailed down to a tee and it has been a smooth ride for the last 10 months.

    5/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • The guidance given towards personal training and development was aimed at getting us up to an acceptable standard for GSK to get the most value out of us whilst we are here. To this extent, I do not believe that much has been invested in us and I highly doubt they train us with the intent to keep us as employees after our degrees.

    1/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Flexi Time

    Sports and Social Club

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Company Parties/Events

    Subsidised Canteen

    Financial Bonus

    Staff Sales/Staff Shop
    3/5
  • 11. How appealing are future employment prospects within the organisation?

    • They are not very appealing at all. I would love to work for GSK, however the likelihood of this is very low due to the huge competition and low amount of jobs. Especially after the recent company cuts.

    1/5

    The Culture

  • 12. Was there a good social scene amongst any fellow placement students/colleagues?

    • Very good social scene! We all went out together a lot and everyone sits together at lunch. A very enjoyable community.

    4/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • Unfortunately the costs are relatively high. Although it is definitely manageable with what we are paid by GSK

    2/5
  • 14. What was the Nightlife like in the area you worked?

    • Very very very poor. There is only one nightclub which is useless going to. So you mainly have to stick to a pub, or have your own house party or spend the money to travel to a neighbouring town.

    2/5
  • 15. Were there many opportunities to get involved in activities outside of work?

    • A few. Not many though, due to the huge amount of university work.

    2/5
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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

South East

May 2015

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