Technician Scientist Apprentice Review
at AstraZeneca
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Science
Cambridge
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!
4.5/5
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Overview of Role
5/5
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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:
5/5
My day to day role is in the oncology department, specifically in Vivo. I work with animals, developing potential cancer therapies. I also formulate the compounds, as well as culturing cancerous cell lines. Amongst this, I also design projects with Senior Scientists, helping my development into a fully capable in Vivo research scientist.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I thoroughly enjoy my programme. I work for a fantastic company which puts my development as a person and a scientist before their gain. Also doing my foundation degree alongside my job, gives me the background knowledge into what I’m actually doing for a job. I highly recommend this programme.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
In my role, I’ve added a government granted license, allowing me to perform regulated procedures on protected animals. This involved training in animal welfare. I have also become a first aider, which was offered to me and funded by AstraZeneca. I have also enhanced my chemistry skills by formulating compounds, and my biological knowledge of pathways within tissues and cells.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
My programme is well structured due to the fantastic apprenticeship and early careers team at AstraZeneca. There are people dedicated to helping apprentices, with anything they need about the programme. I also have an amazing apprenticeship advisor from the university, that organised meetings with me and my manager regularly, offering help as well as guidance.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
So much. My employer gives me everything outlined in my programme, and so much more. I’m given a manager, mentor, buddy and a wider support network. They also constantly look for new opportunities, to add to my growing skills list. I couldn’t ask for anything more from them.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
To start with, I didn’t receive much support due to staff shortages (a lot to do with COVID). But after some reorganisation at the university, I’ve now got a lot of support from a dedicated advisor, who is always fully aware of what I’m doing both in my job and my foundation degree.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
The course I’m taking is very good. It is a biology based degree, but with the view of how it works in the real world. All of my coursework is centred to my job role, and gives me both the generic knowledge of that subject, but stretches me to related it to my job.
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
I am part of the social team in my building at work, as well as a company based team that covers the country. I go to networking events (often virtual at the moment) as well as social events. We also ran a socially distanced sports day in the summer which was fun!
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
AstraZeneca always put their employees first. My managers constantly ask us if we’re happy, and if there’s something we feel could be improved, they strive to find solutions. Also I get a lot of benefits as an employee, which included private health care which let me get a long term condition fixed. Couldn’t think of a better company to work for!
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
Read the website! We have certain targets and thoughts that we really consider before making any decision. The biggest is ‘always putting the patient first’. If you find these and really buy into it, it makes you a perfect candidate. Also being a team player is key, always looking to help others.
