Technician Scientist Review
at AstraZeneca
Higher Level Apprenticeship
Science
Cambridge
Review Submitted: March 2023
Overall Rating
4.4 /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
4.4/5
-
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
In my day-to-day role, I would say I spend the majority of my time working in the lab, as I'm still early in my apprenticeship I am focusing on building up my knowledge and trying to carry out a variety of lab techniques successfully.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
Personally, I think this apprenticeship is the best step I could have taken. I love how trusted I am to work in the lab by myself at such an early stage, it is also great that I get a degree whilst working in the job I always dreamed of.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
4/5
I would say at AstraZeneca we are encouraged a lot to build up our soft skills, I feel my confidence has grown leaps and bounds since joining the organisation, whether this be in presentations, how I communicate or being able to talk to a variety of different audiences
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
I would say its very easy to follow the structure of my programme, 80% is on-the-job work and learning whether that's in the lab or going through my results and then 20% is off-the-job study with the university of Kent
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
We have a lot of support available to us as apprentices at AstraZeneca, whether that's our line manager, mentor or the specific apprenticeship team themselves, I feel I always have support should I ever need it
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
At the university of Kent I think they are improving a lot with how they deal with their apprentices. We have all the usual University support available to us as well as our advisors who check up on us regularly
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
5/5
I believe that my qualification is crucial for developing myself in my role as being a scientist apprentice requires a lot of specific knowledge to be able to even start carrying out certain experiments. I think my qualifications goes hand in hand nicely in that sense.
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
AstraZeneca push us to get involved in extra-curricular activities constantly, whether this be volunteering (STEM events, Careers fairs etc.), joining external groups with a driven goal to make change or set up our own activities for example, apprentice five-a-side.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
I think I would recommend an apprenticeship at AZ to a friend just because personally I feel I have benefitted not only career wise but in my personal growth, their is a great social aspect here with our societies as well which make it easier to settle in.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
I think being yourself is the best advice I could give, make sure in your CV's and application you show your personality through out and that you are very passionate to get the role, also don't be worried about each step of the application process just take it as it comes.
