Service Management Support/ Assisstant Finance Partner Review
at GSK
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Accounting
Brentford TW8 9GS, UK
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
4 /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!
4/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
3.4/5
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Structure and Support
Overview of Role
Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis:
4/5
The role I started off as when joining GSK was in service management support. The role is generally quite admin based and requires a lot of reviewing and checking documents. However it was a key starting point in my apprenticeship as it gave me the basic foundation and structure to work in a huge corporate company. I also have opportunities to speak to people all around the world on a daily basis.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
When I first joined GSK, I didn't know what to expect, as this was my first corporate job. What I can say is it definitely surpassed my expectations. The amount of opportunities you are given are amazing and you are treated equally to any regular employee and are given many responsibilities.
The only downside I can think of is the social aspect hasn't been the best. I've been stuck working from home since I started and haven't been able to have any physical interaction, but I'm sure if we were back in the offices there would be many social opportunities.
The only downside I can think of is the social aspect hasn't been the best. I've been stuck working from home since I started and haven't been able to have any physical interaction, but I'm sure if we were back in the offices there would be many social opportunities.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Where do I start... When I first joined GSK I barely knew my way around outlook! Over the past couple of months I've learnt so much. From the basics like writing emails and learning the basics of excel, to developing my communication skills by leading team meetings and having 1-1 calls with colleagues.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
Very well structured. I remember my first day we were sent a booklet a couple days before on how to set everything up and was also given contact to my manager before starting, so was able to ask any questions to allow as smooth start up as possible, especially as this was done at home with no supervision. I was also given a mentor for the first couple of weeks who explained my role and supported me with any questions/ queries I had.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
GSK have many opportunities to help support colleagues. This comes under many forms such as: workshops, webinars, capability team, training courses and more! They also have people you can talk to if you find it your quite stressed or need extra guidance and of course your manager should also be a reliable source of contact for support.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
My training provider provides us with many resources to support my learning. This includes: Attending live online lectures with a professional teacher, sending over hard copy for our course notes and question banks for each module of the course. They also have a whole website with pre-recorded lectures that I can access and mock/ practical assessments for each module.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
2/5
Currently my qualification I am studying doesn't have much relevance to what my role at work is related to. However I am currently in the transition to start some new work, which will be related to what I am studying. i am sure with this new piece of work my qualification will give me a good foundation in order to be successful in this role.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
3/5
At the moment, due to the restrictions from Covid-19 we have been very limited in what can be done for extra-curricular activities. However GSK have organised some events virtually e.g multiple quiz nights, a music competition and recently an escape room event. As restrictions ease more opportunities will slowly become available, but currently most events/ activities have been virtual.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend GSK to a friend?
Yes
Why?
GSK has an amazing community and tonnes of learning/ development opportunities. There's something out there for everyone to participate in. The on-boarding process although was all done from the my home, was still very successful and I received lots of support from my team. Also GSK is a global company, so who knows you may even have the opportunity to work abroad in the future!
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to GSK?
The application process can be very daunting, I know I was very nervous. The best advice I can give is make sure you have real life examples/ experiences you can relate to when talking about certain competencies/skills in the interviews. I found it a lot easier to incorporate this within my life experiences. Also make sure you prepare. Research GSK and their culture have some background knowledge, so you can surprise the interviewer and prove you have put in the effort to find out more about the company. This shows you are eager and are willing to do more, which is what interviews want to see.
Global Patient Safety and Pharmacovigilance Industrial Placement Student
at GSK
- Placement (10 Months+)
- London
-
4.8
