Capabilites Coordinator Review

To be honest, I didnt expect to enjoy my role this much, but I genuinly loved my placement and will really miss not working at GSK next year! I found I was learning new skills each week and always being challenged on the tasks I was being given. I also really valued the chance to see other parts of the organisation away from my direct role (e.g. go and observe a sales meeting). Everyone was very accomodating so all you had to do was ask if there was something you wanted to learn about/shaddow and if there was a way that they could make it work then they generally did.

I felt very valued. One of the biggest motivators for myself is being recognised for hard work, and this was definitly done at GSK. There is a culture of recognition and appreciation that is felt throughout the business, and this is something that made my placement so enjoyable. Coming into work on a Monday morning during a very busy period and seeing an email from a colleague saying "your amazing - keep going!" really makes you feel valued.

I was given good support from my manager. I was generally given the space to make my own decisions, but knew that if I needed extra support then I could rely on him to provide this (e.g. if I ever had any problems with the work I was doing I knew I could ask for his advice). At the beginning of my placement me and my manager sat down and discussed how we both work, and I said I wanted to be able to make and resolve my own mistakes and not be bubble wrapped, and I think this was defintly honoured. However, I did always feel confident that I could rely on him, or other leaders in my department if I ever had any issues that I needed advice or guidance from

At one point in my placement I was very busy, as the project I was working on was getting larger than expected. However, this was also one of the most enjoyable parts of my placement as the work at this time was very interessting and the whole team was really motivated to achieve our target. Generally however, my workload was pretty well balanced, and there is a strong message that placement students should not have to work overtime as this is not what their role should be about, and if they are required to work overtime then its likely that they may not have time to reflect/learn about other areas of the business ect

I was pleasantly supprised at how much responsiblity I was given. GSK is a real, functioning and busy company and therefore managers dont have time to micro manage their placement students (which is a good thing!). I was able to make some real decisions that affected the project we were on, while at the same time knowing that I had the full suport of the team if I needed any help or guidance on anything.

There are some skills I have learnt that will assist me in my degree, but the most effective way they will help me is in future life and when I am looking for a grad job after. I have learnt so much about how teams work together under pressure, how different cultures interact, how best to communicate to large audiences, effective presentation skills, how to arrive at a good decision...

There is a culture of respect for people and recognition of hard work which is felt throughout the office. People are generally proud to be working for GSK, and are proud of the work that we are doing - this is felt in the motivated feeling in the office. The main head office where I worked is also a really nice building to work in with plently of causal meeting spaces, ergonomic desks and cafeteria/coffee shops ect to get lunch at inside the building. This contributes to the overall feeling of positivity for the employees. Some of my friends at other placements had stories that at 3pm every friday everyone in the office cracked open a beer, and GSK is not that sort of company. That sort of thing just doesnt align with the company values. However it doesnt mean there wasnt any fun in the office - bake sales, teambuilding away days, sponsored runs ect all contributed to a good feeling in the office

It was generally well organised, and all placement students knew exactly who they could go to if they had an issue or needed help with something.

If you ask for development opportunities - they are there for you in the masses. However if you dont ask for them, not that much will be pushed your way Development I experienced included: - observing leadership meetings - observing sales meetings (even though I was in HR) - facilitation skills training - gsk induction training - E-Learning training - personal problem solving methods

I would love to work for GSK again. I really like the company values and atmoshpere, along with the diversity of careers availalbe at GSK. So many carreers that I didnt even know existed now interest me and I love the international side of working for such a large company

Yes, there is a community set up of all the placement students and we organised business events and social events including: - effective communication workshops - how to network event - summer boat party - winter ball - late night at the science museum - various nights out in central london

West London is expensive, although there are some great perks to living in the area (e.g. easy to go out for drinks in central after work on a week night as its only 40 mins away on the train). There are other placements available at other GSK locations around the country (and world) depending on what your department is

In west london it wasnt great, but if you travel 20 mins more central its great! Night busses home were ideal and so many places to choose from

Yes, volunteering for local charities, business events, assiting at charity awards run by GSK,