Manufacturing Scientist Review

I work in Pilot Plant Operations where I work in the Oral Solid Dose and Respiratory pilot plants. During my day-to-day role I assist with the manufacture of tablets and capsules for development and clinical trials. I also assist with the manufacture of inhalers during my work within the respiratory pilot plant.

During my time as an apprentice at GSK I have developed my communication skills and confidence within the workplace. I have also learnt how to quickly adapt to new situations. Some of the new skills I have learnt have been how to focus on the quality of the job, for example, adhering to SOP's.

I enjoy my apprenticeship a great deal because of the lots of different opportunities that it has brought to me. Opportunities that I would never have had if I chose university instead of an apprenticeship. I have also developed and learnt new skills which I wouldn't have learnt if I didn't do the apprenticeship.

The programme when I first started my apprenticeship was a bit disorganised because it wasn't as established as it is now. Due to the high number of apprentices GSK is recruiting the apprenticeship programme has become more structured and organised. They have listened to feedback from previous apprentices and taken it on board to improve the course.

I receive a lot of support from my employer. They focus a lot on the development opportunities for apprentices and find ways to give us the development and help we need. They send us on a development week each year of our apprentice where we learn new skills and are given support.

I receive a lot of support from my university towards my qualifications. They don't just make sure that I am achieving within my work I submit to them but they also make sure that I am doing well within my job and they will have regular catch ups with my manager.

My qualification gives me the knowledge behind the new skills I have learnt at work. For example, I use a lot of health and safety at work COSHH etc and my university had a health and safety module where they taught us the reasons behind the control of substances hazardous to health.

Yes there are extra curricular activities to get involved with at work. There is a network of apprentices at GSK called next gen. This network has a social lead who organises events for apprentices to go to and network. There are also opportunities for professional networking within GSK that apprentices can go to.

Yes

GSK have provided many opportunities for me and the other apprentices. They focus on the development of apprentices and do the most to try and increase our development. They give loads of opportunities and allow you to grow as an individual at your own pace. They also pay for your uni degree.

To be yourself and come across as professional but also show your personality in your interview because GSK has a strong culture and likes people that represent that culture. GSK also have strong values and expectations so they like people that are suited and will work to those values and expectations so have a look and see if you suit them before applying.