Laboratory Technician Review
at Charles River
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Science
Cambridge
Review Submitted: March 2022
Overall Rating
3.7 /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
3.2/5
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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
My role is comprised of stocking up the labs and working as part of a team to deliver a quality service to clients. Clients that are both internal and external. My responsibilities include communicating information effectively and carrying out procedures efficiently.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I think that the experience I have gained from this program is hugely advantageous. There are many challenges that you face balancing so much work and organizing your time at first, but these are valuable lessons and looking back on a lot of my time at Charles River I can say that I have enjoyed this program.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I have learnt numerous new skills in my time at CRL, both through working with experts in the company and by studying through self-learning work provided by the university that is carried out as part of the apprenticeship program.
What I have learnt from this program:
- Time management.
- Professional etiquette.
- Balancing life, study and work.
- Working as part of a team.
- Designing and implementing a project.
- Process improvement skills.
- Analyzing various data sets.
What I have learnt from this program:
- Time management.
- Professional etiquette.
- Balancing life, study and work.
- Working as part of a team.
- Designing and implementing a project.
- Process improvement skills.
- Analyzing various data sets.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
Induction into the apprenticeship is carried out by the university. Charles River also have a welcome induction for all new employees, every new starter is invited to.
Training will be carried out by those people in the laboratory that you will be working with, these individuals may also be your mentors.
Study for university is to be carried out one day a week, and all revision for exams carried out in your own time.
You will have 1:1 catch ups with your line manager (and potentially your mentor) at once every two weeks.
There are also multiple apprenticeship extracurricular activities, such as the chance to discuss journals and meet other apprentices.
Training will be carried out by those people in the laboratory that you will be working with, these individuals may also be your mentors.
Study for university is to be carried out one day a week, and all revision for exams carried out in your own time.
You will have 1:1 catch ups with your line manager (and potentially your mentor) at once every two weeks.
There are also multiple apprenticeship extracurricular activities, such as the chance to discuss journals and meet other apprentices.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
2/5
You will be assigned a manager, and be introduced to the HR team soon after your induction into the company. You will also be assigned a mentor to help guide you through the training in the laboratory.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
There are tutors and advisors who will get back to you punctually through emails and meetings (should you want to schedule in a meeting). I have previously wanted feedback on how to improve my exam answers, and went through a past paper that I had previously completed and had been marked, with a tutor.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
I find the university work to have helped me understand the underlying reasons for the way drug discovery is carried out. I understand in more detail what the reasons are behind carrying out procedures to a high standard and the reasons behind why they are carried out in the order that they are.
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
There are extra-curricula activities:
- The Journal club (where we discuss different interesting papers)
- A chance to present a poster on the work you are carrying out to the rest of the company.
- Volunteering to present apprenticeship opportunities to schools and get people interested in them.
-CRL also has a volunteering day where you have a day to support a charity or help out local initiatives.
- Often speakers come to CRL to present new interesting information to the company.
- The Journal club (where we discuss different interesting papers)
- A chance to present a poster on the work you are carrying out to the rest of the company.
- Volunteering to present apprenticeship opportunities to schools and get people interested in them.
-CRL also has a volunteering day where you have a day to support a charity or help out local initiatives.
- Often speakers come to CRL to present new interesting information to the company.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend Charles River to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I think this is a great company to work for and really enjoy meeting and working with all the amazing people who work here.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to Charles River?
You must have a strong interest in science and a passion for doing meaningful work.
