Immunology Laboratory Manager Review
at CVS Group plc
Level 3 Apprenticeship
Science
Newton Abbot
Review Submitted: May 2021
Overall Rating
3.3 /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
-
Overview of Role
4/5
-
Skills Development
2.6/5
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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
I am responsible for managing the immunology Laboratory within Axiom Veterinary Laboratory. I have a team of 8 staff and we run small animal, equine and farm serology assays, reporting them to veterinary surgery clients. I am responsible for the day-to-day running of the lab and the welfare, training and mentoring of my team. I am also part of the senior management and quality team, so have involvement in operational issues, troubleshooting and Continual Improvement.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I particularly enjoyed the workshops - gaining ideas and hearing examples from other people was really insightful, and it was a pity that Covid restrictions put an end to those on a face-to-face basis, as it wasn't quite the same doing them online. I do enjoy learning, and pushing myself, so just having the opportunity to gather additional knowledge and being able to apply it was great. The tutors were all very helpful (I had 4 different ones).
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have covered a number of these areas in previous courses, but have developed my conflict management skills and pushed myself to use these more than I used to. I have also improved in my coaching skills and have passed on some aspects of the course to my colleagues, including time management and delegation tools.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
3/5
The programme started off a little dis-organised and my cohort seemed to be the guinea pigs that CVS hadn't really told what we had been signed up for. This is not the fault of the provider, and after some initial trouble with actually getting a tutor and getting started on the programme, it was well executed. There were a number of delays, mostly due to covid and some large gaps between communication from my tutor which was a pity.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
2/5
In all honesty, I received very little support from my employer. CVS education team contacted me once, at the start of the programme, and I never heard from them again. My direct line manager didn't have any involvement and didn't help me at all. I did a lot of the work in my own time, or fitted it around my day job.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
My training provider was supportive and the tutors engaging. I feel they were probably a little over-stretched and with the rate that they left the company, I'm not sure they were entirely happy in their roles. The online workshops that were arranged were thorough and provided the required knowledge. We didn't always receive the slides afterwards though.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I feel I have a more comprehensive understanding of the role of a leader/manager and the emotional intelligence, people managing aspect in particular. I think if I had had more support from my employer I would have benefitted more from the areas that I had already identified as a weakness (operational management and finance) - finance in particular needs to be practical rather than theoretical.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
2/5
Covid has put stop to most extra curricular activities at work. We are arranging sponsored walks to raise money for our charity of the year later this summer. We normally have an annual conference with awards ceremony and lectures. This was cancelled last year but hopefully will take place later this year.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend CVS Group plc to a friend?
Yes
Why?
CVS as a whole has the right tools in place to ensure that staff have access to education, HR, health and safety and in theory the possibility of enhancing their career progression as a result. Unfortunately there will always be the odd 'bad' manager that doesn't encompass this, or support their teams and this can lead to disengaged, demotivated staff.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to CVS Group plc?
I would tell them not to expect the highest salary in the world, and depending which division or role that are in, not to necessarily have a supporting manager. I know some areas are under more pressure to make more money than the lab division, but having a sound grasp of the operational pressures and need to be efficient and effective will assist everyone.
