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

3.4/5
  • The Role
    4.3
  • The Company
    3.5
  • The Culture
    2.1

    The Role

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

    • The placement gave me a thorough experience of working within MedChem, and the wider pharmaceutical industry. I got a wide range of experiences within R&D, but also got to visit HQ and other sites-giving me a wider understanding of the company and how it works on a global scale.

    4/5
  • 2. To what extent did you feel valued by your colleagues?

    • The placement students here are an integral part of the the R&D sector. I was trusted with lab work from day one and have been given increased work loads/responsibility over the year, indicating that I am a valued member of the team.

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

    • My team was very supportive. We are quite a specialised unit in a wider department so the team was very close. There was never a point where I was made to feel stupid when asking for help, and there is always someone around to give advice.

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

    • The work load depended on how many projects we had been given. Some days we overloaded, and some work was pretty sparse. However most of the time there was a fair bit to do. There are deadlines but once you get into the swing of things meeting these becomes fairly easy so there isn't too much pressure.

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

    • Responsibilities increased throughout the year. But it depends on the student- it isn't necessary to take on too much, but there are plenty of opportunities to go above an beyond your position if you want to.

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

    • My practical skills have increased infinitely. As I didn't have any uni work to do over my placement I would say my theory has slipped a little- but nothing that can't be picked up pretty easily again.

    4/5

    The Company

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

    • My team was quite small so we had a very close working relationship. The working environment was professional, (everyone got on with their work, nobody was too chatty or off putting during working hours), but on breaks and lunches it was very easy to socialise with my colleagues.

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

    • In terms of GSK- they have a very well organised placement scheme. However as we were recruited as contract workers through SRG- this proved to be a bit more a of an issue. Our HR representative wasn't great, but I didn't have too many issues.

    3/5
  • 9. In terms of personal training and development, to what extent did the company or firm invest in you?

    • As the students are an integral part of R&D there was a heavy investment in training us. There were also many guest speakers that came into to give presentations on a number of topics and different kinds of research which we were encouraged to attend to develop personal knowledge.

    4/5
  • 10. What were the perks on your work placement?

    • Sports and Social Club

    Subsidised/Company Gym

    Financial Bonus

    Company Parties/Events

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

    • I would certainly like to work for the company in the future. The only issue is the limited recruitment of graduates that the site offers. Graduates tend to be hired in waves every few years- so job prospects are not always high.

    4/5

    The Culture

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

    • Initially there was a strong sense of an 'SU' amongst the placement students- (there were around 100 or so). As the year went on, this dwindled a little due to university assignments/dissertation comminents.

    3/5
  • 13. What was the cost of living and socialising in the area you worked in?

    • Expensive. But as I am at university in London it wasn't a huge change for me.

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

    • There are a few good pubs. I still haven't visited the only nightclub, and I don't intend to ever,

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

    • If you have a car then there are lots of opportunities for out of work activities. Unfortunately for those of us that haven't, options were limited.

    2/5
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Details

Placement (10 Months+)

South East

July 2015

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