Microbiology Review

Item: Microbiology at GSK
Rating: 3.1
Author: Anonymous

at GSK

Placement (10 Months+)

Pharmaceutical

Worthing

Review Submitted: July 2022

Overall Rating

3.1 /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!

3/5 - Overview of Role

3.8/5 - Skills Development

3/5 - Support and Guidance

3.5/5 - Company Culture

1.5/5 - Overall Experience

3/5 - Future Career Prospects

Overview of Role

Please give an overview of your role and what this involves on a day-to-day basis.

Assay bacterial mutants for clavulanic acid using an automated liquid handling machine. Inoculate media and shakeflasks for further assaying. Using picking machines to select colonies. Perform aseptic technique and follow SOPs. Carry out general laboratory tasks such as washing up, media making, calibrating equipment, topping up consumables and sterilising waste and media using an autoclave.

Were you given much responsibility during your placement / internship?

Yes and no. I was given responsibility to carry out the routine work after being trained and met competency standards. The focus is on results and not understanding the science behind the results which means under taking ad hoc experiments is not common. I took responsibility to further my knowledge out side of my role but it is proritised to get routine work done first and there was never a lot of time.

Please rate how meaningful the work you were doing was

3/5

Skills Development

Have you learnt any new skills, or developed your existing skills?

I have learnt a great number of key laboratory practices such as serial dilutions, aseptic technique and technical skills such as programming the automated liquid handling machine, using shakers and using media dispensers.
I have participated in a number of additional responsibilities which have furthered my team work, organisation, leadership and attention to detail.
I have learnt how to carry out a high throughput process to optimise the likelihood of improving the current production strain.

How would you rate the training provided during your experience?

4/5

How would you rate your development of industry-specific skills during the experience?

3/5

How would you rate your development of personal / soft skills during the experience?

4/5

Please rate how these skills have helped you in your career development

4/5

Support and Guidance

How much support and guidance did you receive during your placement / internship?

At the start you are given a lot of one-to-one training and reading SOPs and carrying out OJTs. Monthly progress meetings were carried out to raise concerns and highlight progress.

How would you rate the support and guidance from your line manager?

3/5

How would you rate the support and guidance from the wider team?

3/5

Company Culture

What was the company culture and general atmosphere like?

I found the environment a little cliquey but the majority of the employees have worked there nearly 40 years so is understandable. COVID restrictions interfered with social activities but there is opportunities for placement students through IP UNITE.

How would you rate the inclusiveness of the culture?

3/5

How would you rate the social opportunities?

3/5

How would you rate the diversity initiatives?

3/5

How would you rate the charity, sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives?

5/5

Overall Experience

To what extent did you enjoy your placement / internship?

I decided quite early on that a laboratory role is not for me, the work is fairly routine and not challenging enough. I did learn a lot but I felt university standards oversold the reality in an pharmaceutical environment. At university there is a lot of diverse practical's, whereas in industry it is fairly routine processes carried out again and again