Industrial Placement Student Review
at AstraZeneca
Placement (10 Months+)
Pharmaceutical, Chemistry, Research
Cambridge
Review Submitted: July 2023
Overall Rating
4.7 /5
The Overall Rating is the average of all the ratings given in each category. We take those individual ratings and combine them into one final score!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
4.5/5
-
Skills Development
4.5/5
-
Support and Guidance
4.8/5
-
Company Culture
5/5
-
Overall Experience
5/5
-
Future Career Prospects
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis.
My role generally involved planning weekly experiments on Monday with my supervisor and carrying them out throughout the week. Primarily focusing on cell culture and assay development. Every two weeks, we also had team meetings, and department meetings were also held every so often.
Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?
I was mostly asked to focus on the project given to me and develop an understanding of it, rather than working on a live project.
Please rate how meaningful the work you were doing was
5/5
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills, or developed your existing skills?
I have learned how to follow Good Laboratory Practice (GLP). I learned about cell culture in Microbiological Safety cabinets and planned experiments. I learned how to use different instruments, including a flow cytometer and a luminometer. I learned how to use the RP-HPLC and SEC-HPLC for chemical conjugation of antibodies. I have developed my presentation skills, which have allowed me to gain confidence in my abilities.
How would you rate the training provided during your experience?
4/5
How would you rate your development of industry-specific skills during the experience?
4/5
How would you rate your development of personal / soft skills during the experience?
5/5
Please rate how these skills have helped you in your career development
5/5
Support and Guidance
How much support and guidance did you receive during your placement / internship?
Great support throughout.
How would you rate the support and guidance from your line manager?
5/5
How would you rate the support and guidance from the wider team?
4/5
Company Culture
What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?
AstraZeneca’s environment was also extremely welcoming, seeing how everyone shares a passion for science and encourages a strong sense of collaboration. This gradually familiarized me with the organization's culture while also helping me understand the diverse expertise of my colleagues and learning about novel aspects of science and possible career trajectories. Other learning opportunities were constantly available beyond the lab through various site and departmental presentations.
How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?
5/5
How would you rate the social opportunities?
5/5
How would you rate the diversity initiatives?
4/5
How would you rate the charity, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives?
5/5
Overall Experience
To what extent did you enjoy your placement / internship?
I really enjoyed the whole experience and understood that I want to pursue a career in research.
Please rate your level of enjoyment on your placement / internship
5/5
Please rate how your experience met your expectations
5/5
Future Career Prospects
Please rate the future employment prospects at AstraZeneca
5/5
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
What advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca
Others would have to quickly learn to adapt to the fast-paced pharmaceutical industry, which is both exhilarating and initially daunting. This presented me with challenges such as learning to manage time efficiently and balancing multiple tasks simultaneously, including university assignments.
Moreover, joining AstraZeneca requires to rapidly assimilate new information, protocols, and techniques. This was essential to be able to start the project as effectively as possible, which requirs dedication and persistence.
Moreover, joining AstraZeneca requires to rapidly assimilate new information, protocols, and techniques. This was essential to be able to start the project as effectively as possible, which requirs dedication and persistence.
