Apprentice Review
at AstraZeneca
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Science
Cambridge
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
4.8 /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!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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Skills Development
4.8/5
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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:
5/5
I am an apprentice manager. I mentor, train and supervise my student. This implies teaching techniques in the lab, get my student helping me while she evolves more independent, and learn how to think science critically and perform experiments accordingly. I also encourage my student to do small projects and present results internally.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I am enjoying the programme a lot. Although I need to invest quite a bit of time to teach my student (especially at the beginning), I can get help to do more experiments and expand my research. In addition, it is very rewarding to see how my student is getting more independent, knowledgeable and confident in the lab.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I am developing my managing skills, which is one of the experience I need to advance in my career development. I think it is challenging to explain very specialised scientific concepts to someone fresh from their A levels and this is helping me to become better at presenting and explaining my science.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
5/5
The part of the university courses is well structured by Kent university and I do not need to spend a lot of my time supervising that aspect. There is a good organisation within apprentices in AstraZeneca where they can help each other and get a better outcome out of the program. Finally, from my experience it is nice to have the freedom to tailor the program to the current research in the lab and adapt it accordingly.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
We have a very supportive AZ group that can advise and guide line managers on our duties, and how to make the most for both ourselves and our apprentices. Also, we maintain frequent meetings to cover any issues that may arise and we are reminded of deadlines or events we must or would benefit from attending to.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
My apprentice receives a good support from University of Kent and I can participate in the appraisals held every 2-3 weeks.
Sometimes communication is not optimal, which leads to delays and low efficiency in certain processes. However, this has been dealt with and we can already notice improvements between the interactions between our apprentices and the university of Kent.
Sometimes communication is not optimal, which leads to delays and low efficiency in certain processes. However, this has been dealt with and we can already notice improvements between the interactions between our apprentices and the university of Kent.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
I believe my apprentice takes her university very seriously and qualifications help her guide her perception on how much knowledge he is acquiring during her courses. I find this is a good way to assess progress and identify if there are any missing aspects of her training or theoretical learning to work towards getting them.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
5/5
My apprentice does participate in networking events and meetings which take place every week/ 2 weeks. She also takes lateral skills courses in a plethora of aspects and is involved in STEM activities that improve her presentation and outreach skills. They have a good local network of apprentices which also helps them to socialise.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
in AZ we can develop our career paths, interact in multidisciplinary teams and make a difference to patients. There is a very good working environment and research and development are encouraged, which helps developing creativity and scientific leadership that will be of paramount importance to succeed in the future either within or outside the company.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
They should do it because there are career development options, we have access to latest available technology, we have an immediate impact in patients and make a difference. Furthermore, the core values of the company are ethical, patient-driven, encourage the scientific development and bold ideas that can make a big difference in health industry.
