Laboratory Apprentice (Chemistry) Review

I work in a chemistry laboratory as a Laboratory apprentice. The work I carry out is medicinal synthetic chemistry, meaning I make compounds for testing. Daily tasks include,: writing up reactions, setting up reactions, isolating products and analytical testing of the product. As I work in a Flexible discovery unit, the project I work on constantly changes and so the work remains fresh and interesting.

The step up of skill level from A-level to working in a pharmaceutical lab is massive. The abundance of new equipment I have used has all been explained to me and have been shown how to use it. The internal training courses provided are extremely helpful in adapting to the increased health and safety of the lab as well as the size of the company. My overall chemistry skills have improved massively and will continue to into the future.

Working in a pharmaceutical lab is an opportunity that very few are able to have. Working in a small team as part of a larger department is something I like as it allows me to get to know colleagues more closely. The company's all inclusive culture transpires to workers and in my first months I felt very welcomed at a new starter. There are plenty development opportunities for apprentice's which contribute to the overall enjoyment. However, the nature of science can mean that certain days can feel slow.

My manager appreciates the work I do, often telling me what would be good to complete in the next few days and gives me praise when this had been completed. I've also had some internal recognition with a health and safety issue that I devised a solution for, which the EHS committee thanked me for through my manager.

The induction process itself consists of a large number of online courses accompanied by several presentations, this can be time consuming however they are extremely useful and helped introduce me to the many new aspects encountered. My manager also provides me with one study day a week in order to complete my university work and our 1:1 meetings are often helpful in sorting out any issue that have arisen. As the apprenticeship program has been going on for a few years now the majority of issues have been sorted out.

Being a distant learner can provide some issues with communication, in that Emails can be hard to explain the root of the issue. The group of tutors are always quick with their replies and are more than happy to have a phone call if the issue still hasn't been sorted after the email exchange. They are so occasionally put on webinars which are extremely useful is helping show what they require from us.

HR provide a chat call service, allowing you to reach HR quickly and efficiently and resolve any issue or be guided to a department that can help. This is a good tool as due to the size of the company it can be difficult to access the support or even find the support required. My manager is extremely helpful with any problems I have, also helping me balance my work and university work by allowing me to have a flexible study day to fit around my needs.

My commute to work takes roughly 50 minutes by car, as this is the most cost effective way to reach work. The food in the canteen can be quite expensive if brought everyday and can soon add up, hence why a large majority of people bring in pack lunches. However, by budgeting I have been able to save each month as well do the things I want to do.

There's an on site gym with squash courts and a hall, classes are also available at the gym along with a squash league. Every other month there is one Apprenticeship social for all companies in the Hertfordshire area. As an apprentice we are also encouraged to become a STEM ambassador and attend career fairs outside of work. There are also a number of events organised at Christmas, leaving dos, etc. as well as an apprentice development week where a number of apprentice take part in new activities.

Yes

The atmosphere and opportunities presented by GSK means that the company is a rewarding one to work for. Since the day I started I've always felt welcomed at GSK and the training and opportunities provided have really helped develop myself and my skills. The work is also interesting, which is something that can be said about very few jobs in other companies.

The application process consists of several online assessments as well as a assessment day. The online process involves answering questions about yourself and what you would do in certain situations, this is then followed by an aptitude test. After completing these you are invited to an assessment day where you are interviewed, give a presentation and complete a simple experiment. By preparing for the interview by researching about GSK before, I could model my answers around their values when a question was asked which showed I had an interest and a understanding of the company I was applying for.