Quality Practitioner Apprentice Review
at AstraZeneca
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Science
Speke
Review Submitted: February 2022
Overall Rating
4.3 /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
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Overview of Role
4/5
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Skills Development
3.8/5
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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:
4/5
I work within the Quality Technical team which includes documentation and systems so I help to supply other departments with GMP documents and raise evaluations on quality systems. I currently do this both onsite and from home. I also attend our daily team meeting over Teams which I designed the tier board for.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I really enjoy the team and culture at AstraZeneca. There are lots of events both social and educational to get involved with if you so choose. Everyone in my team has been very welcoming. One downside of COVID was not being able to meet everyone in person but that is starting to change.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I am working towards a level 4 apprenticeship with CSR. Internally I have completed lots of training on Good Manufacturing Practice, the different quality systems we use and the different processes we have for a huge variety of things. I have also taken part in professional skills sessions regarding communication, working methods, presentation skills, being assertive and more.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I have monthly sessions for my apprenticeship and a monthly assignment to go with that - this structured approach means keeping on top of the education side of things is quite easy. I had 2 days of onsite induction before I started then when I started 4ish days of induction with the other apprentices - I enjoyed it being all together. I also have a weekly 1:1 with my manager for support. I also have one day a week to complete my apprenticeship work.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
I receive a lot of support from my line manager - we have weekly 1:1s but if ever I have a question I am always able to send a teams message or email or pop over to his desk when on site. I have also only had positive interactions with other people in my team and beyond when asking for support (which I do often).
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
I enjoy the sessions and researching for my assignments. As we are a small group we, as students, have a group chat and so we will usually ask each other for help before going to our tutor. I think the nature of email makes my apprenticeship tutors less accessible than my manager but they are more than happy to stay on after a session to answer any questions.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
I think the topics I cover on my qualification are very relevant to my role, however, it is very theory based so I think sets me up well for if I want to develop into a managerial role within my department. I feel I've learnt a lot about Quality as a whole but less about my specific day to day roles which is to be expected as my sessions contain students from multiple different companies/industries.
Are there extra-curricular activities to get involved in at your work? (For example, any social activities, sports teams, or even professional networking events.)
4/5
Due to COVID the number of in person events have been limited, however, we have had lots of fun virtual events like quizzes in which prizes have been up for grabs. We work with local charities and get the opportunity to take a day off work to volunteer when these charities give us the opportunity. With restrictions lifting this year more in person events will be planned such as sports competitions and off-site Team days. There are also always lots of events to go where internal and external speakers come and talk to us.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Good working environment, a big push on being a 'Great Place to Work' which includes lots of work on Inclusion and Diversity in the workplace and always asking for feedback from employees. Personally, as someone who tries to be as sustainable as possible I love that AstraZeneca is leading the way in sustainable pharma.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
AstraZeneca focuses on always doing the right thing and being patient centric so let these values come across in your application. Do lots of research into the company. I personally did a lot of prep for my interview as they will send you a list of values that you will be asked about - I linked my experiences to these values. Be professional during your interview and assessment days and try to be as confident as possible, even if you do have to fake it!
