Process Engineering Apprentice Review
at AstraZeneca
Degree Apprenticeship
Chemical Engineering
Macclesfield
Review Submitted: February 2026
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!
5/5
-
Overview of Role
5/5
-
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:
5/5
My role has been lab/office/plant based throughout the 3 years I have been here. I have been in a mixture of science and manufacturing based roles to give me a wide experience of pharmaceutical manufacturing.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
5/5
I love being surrounded by experts in the field and at the forefront of science - with the freedom to make what I want of my apprenticeship.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
Lab skills, working in GMP environment, writing papers, presenting to stakeholders
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
The whole university course is online, with some funded travel for exams which can be difficult for communication and organisation with the uni. However, I enjoy distant learning as it allows me to learn at my own pace and in my own environment.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
5/5
My manager is flexible to give me extra time to study when needed, and provide support to ensure I do my best in University study. Work and study balance can sometimes be tricky but you have to learn to manage it yourself.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
3/5
Not many people have completed my apprenticeship so there isn't a lot of understanding of how the EPA works - but this is improving over time.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
4/5
The chemical engineering degree at Strathclyde is really good and well respected degree - so all the skills you learn are super relevant especially in API manufacture. However you find a lot of stuff in industry is automated rather than using fundamentals.
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
Plenty of sports teams are created from departments, and plenty of groups targeted at different people (early careers, ethnic minorities, mental health) to become apart of
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
It is a great place to work!
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
Show off what soft skills you have that would make you valuable to the company
