Apprentice Quality Review
at AstraZeneca
Degree Apprenticeship
Macclesfield
Review Submitted: May 2025
Overall Rating
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!
3.5/5
-
Overview of Role
3/5
-
Skills Development
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
- Maintaining GMP and quality standards
- Quality control testing of products
- Basic maintenance of kit
- Lab improvement, efficiency improvements
- Deviation and Lab investigations
- Quality control testing of products
- Basic maintenance of kit
- Lab improvement, efficiency improvements
- Deviation and Lab investigations
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
3/5
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
3/5
All of my analytical chemistry skills have been massively developed in this role. GMP awareness, auditing knowledge and business opportunities are available. Great operations introduction. Mathematics and Chemistry applications are less available early on in this department, however.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
Benefits of large company structure are evident on the programme, direct contact and networking opportunities for career understanding and growth are often available. Good support and well managed training from the apprenticeship team.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
Good support and networks available for many problems. Direct contact and questions have always been met with an open response
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
Good system for check ins, career advice and communications. Freedom to choose how you learn after being offered content and live lecture opportunities. Full access to university resources.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
My direct role does not massively benefit from any theoretical chemistry knowledge. The training does relate to the workplace in alternate ways however, and the theoretical chemistry knowledge can still be useful and relate directly to analytical testing. It does require more self application, however, as there is no demand for that type of content to be brought into the workplace at the current level.
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
Many resource groups, apprentice networking events, and social activities that are completely optional but very common.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
Large opportunities for a young person to develop in the workplace if they have a solid understanding of what career path they would like to take. Many opportunities to learn about real roles, including the functions you do not operate within. Good training and support systems.
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
Review the exact role and do some career research. There are opportunities to flex and learn about other directions to take your career, but it is still a reduction in your career flexibility. If you intend to complete a degree before applying to a similar place and taking a similar career path, the apprentice route is an excellent way to kickstart that. You benefit massively from removing the future debt and earning early (in terms of building financial freedom), as well as developing real work skills. However, though work experience is valued, you may find more benefit from a prestigious university, as that may better support you in a STEM field in the long run. Spend some time planning routes that you could take after your apprenticeship compared to after a degree. If you have the opportunity to attend a high quality university, and are in the top percentile of students, consider the top universities and compare their graduates to where you may be at the end of an apprenticeship.
