Lab Scientist Apprentice Review
at AstraZeneca
Degree Apprenticeship
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical, Research, Science
Macclesfield
Review Submitted: April 2026
Overall Rating
4.1 /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!
4/5
-
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:
4/5
I am lab based, working in late-stage drug development as an analytical chemist in purification using preparative chromatography. My day-to-day involves responding to emails, sometimes team and skill group meetings, instrument operation (which is the bulk of my work), sample drying using vacuum evaporation (rotary evaporation), sample dissolution, and keeping internal customers up to date with sample progress. I am also involved in the editorial team for my departmental newsletter, and am secretary for a UK based ERG (employee resource group) called Embrace, which focusses on creating racial equity and community. For these extra tasks, I have to plan and attend meetings, and have some additional workload.
To what extent do you enjoy your programme?
4/5
I enjoy my job a lot, I work mainly just with my mentor and we get along really well. There is lots to learn in my technique area and it is still advancing a lot as a mainstream analytical technique so it is interesting to consult with other experts about the technique and its progressing. My team are great and supportive even though we do not do the same type of analytical chemistry. My manager is very supportive and has actively sought out valuable opportunities for me to gain experience outside of my everyday job. The apprentice community is also great and I have made many friends at AZ.
The university course is good, there are still improvements to be made in terms of the course in terms of content and delivery. I attend a week-long residential every January where I complete lab practicals which contribute to my degree. The course is good but not as intense as maybe you would expect, the quality of teaching is mainly good (very dependent on your lecturer). Online learning has its challenges but now I am in my second year it is easier to adapt since I have set expectations already.
The university course is good, there are still improvements to be made in terms of the course in terms of content and delivery. I attend a week-long residential every January where I complete lab practicals which contribute to my degree. The course is good but not as intense as maybe you would expect, the quality of teaching is mainly good (very dependent on your lecturer). Online learning has its challenges but now I am in my second year it is easier to adapt since I have set expectations already.
Skills Development
Have you learnt any new skills or developed existing skills?
5/5
I had no idea what preparative chromatography was before starting, so now I am able to run the analytical service independently, I have learnt a lot of new skills like operating analytical instruments, troubleshooting and fixing errors (using a spanner a lot more than I expected), evaporation, sample dissolution, and managing internal customer expectations.
With my extra-curricular activities I've had to get used to say no sometimes to extra activities and setting what my priorities are. I have said yes to some great opportunities but these things take time and are volunteer based, so learning to prioritise and say no sometimes when it interferes with my day-to-day job has been a great skill to learn and work on.
Time management with an apprenticeship is also vital, in terms of in the workplace, as well as work/uni/life balance. I've developed my organisation and admin skills too.
With my extra-curricular activities I've had to get used to say no sometimes to extra activities and setting what my priorities are. I have said yes to some great opportunities but these things take time and are volunteer based, so learning to prioritise and say no sometimes when it interferes with my day-to-day job has been a great skill to learn and work on.
Time management with an apprenticeship is also vital, in terms of in the workplace, as well as work/uni/life balance. I've developed my organisation and admin skills too.
Structure and Support
How well organised/structured is your programme?
4/5
Job wise, the programme is structured but flexible enough where I can choose what I would like to do (within reason). Uni is structured where I have 4 terms with two modules running alongside each other, this runs from mid September-end of July. There is a bit of a summer break between August but we still have off the job requirements within this time. Uni is organised fairly well.
How much support do you receive from your employer?
4/5
My manager and mentor are very understanding of study time requirements, and check in regularly to ensure I do not have excessive workload. My manager is also very supportive of any development opportunities I would like to pursue to develop new skills in the workplace and is proactively looking for new opportunities for me. This is however manager-dependent, and I do know of some apprentices who do not have as good of a support system as I do.
How much support do you receive from your training provider when working towards your qualifications?
4/5
We have good support from the uni. Lecturers answer emails and enquiries in a timely manner and communicate well when there are announcements (e.g a student asks about a confirmed exam date, the lecturer will respond and also put it on the module's Moodle page so everyone is aware). There are quarterly skills coach reviews where we go through KSBs for the apprenticeship course, what has been happening in the workplace, what uni work is ongoing and any previous test/coursework results, and also review/set goals for the next quarter. These are helpful as it helps to have scheduled check ins with uni, as it can easily sit on the backburner if work is busy.
How well do you feel that your qualification (through your training provider) helps you to perform better in your role?
3/5
We do not directly learn about my work area in the uni course. However, scientifically, the course does slightly relate and I can see that more as the course goes on. The lab skills modules and communication modules help more in terms of learning about quality, customer satisfaction (as we all have customers in the workplace, whether that be internal or external). One coursework piece I did for lab skills also helped me ask better questions about the analytical technique I use and be more curious. Applicability of the course definitely depends on what job you do, but I find more and more that I can apply what I'm learning to my job.
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
I have been fortunate to attend 5 conference events since starting my program 1.5 years ago. This is highly dependent on the department you work in. At 2 of these events, I was able to present a poster on my work which helped greatly with my professional development, and also gain more practice in speaking about my work (which ties into the apprenticeship end point assessment). I am also a core member in the EmbRACE ERG (employee resource group) in the workplace, which centres on racial equity and creating a community at work. This has helped me greatly with networking within the workplace, organising internal events and monthly meetings, and creating graphics for events. This opportunity is something I greatly enjoy and am passionate about, and it is very rewarding to get involved with something that gives back to creating a better work environment. Meeting like-minded people is also a bonus. This ERG work is voluntary, but my manager is very supportive.
In the department and the apprentice space, there are also other events ongoing such as bake sales, apprentice coffees and out-of-work events.
In the department and the apprentice space, there are also other events ongoing such as bake sales, apprentice coffees and out-of-work events.
Recommendations & Advice
Would you recommend AstraZeneca to a friend?
Yes
Why?
- Good pay and benefits such as private GP access and dental care (these are taken out of monthly salary), also long term incentives and share schemes for employees.
- Good work environment, I have worked in 4 other places and this is the best I have seen so far
- Big company so there are lots of opportunities to move out of your department to see something new without having to leave the company (these are limited but not impossible)
- Large apprentice network, active and alumni - lots of seniors I work with have been apprentices and stayed on after their course
- Good work environment, I have worked in 4 other places and this is the best I have seen so far
- Big company so there are lots of opportunities to move out of your department to see something new without having to leave the company (these are limited but not impossible)
- Large apprentice network, active and alumni - lots of seniors I work with have been apprentices and stayed on after their course
What tips or advice would you give to others applying to AstraZeneca?
- Learn about the key values and read up on those (this doesn't need to be super in depth)
- Get others to look at your CV and try rephrasing bullets so they're more impactful (e.g. instead of "I manned the till during Christmas", use "Effectively worked under high pressure situations to achieve high customer satisfaction during peak retail times such as Christmas") - this is easier said than done, but your CV is more likely to pass the initial screen if it is 2 pages max and has impactful statements.
- Don't stress if you don't have work experience, you can write about school life and anything you have done in that time, they just want to know you have potential and not so much what jobs you have worked :)
- Use the STAR structure to plan out some interview answers that could apply to multiple questions
- Be honest and enthusiastic! It'll show if they can see you're excited about the opportunity
- Remember to breathe through the interview, it'll help with nerves :)
- Get others to look at your CV and try rephrasing bullets so they're more impactful (e.g. instead of "I manned the till during Christmas", use "Effectively worked under high pressure situations to achieve high customer satisfaction during peak retail times such as Christmas") - this is easier said than done, but your CV is more likely to pass the initial screen if it is 2 pages max and has impactful statements.
- Don't stress if you don't have work experience, you can write about school life and anything you have done in that time, they just want to know you have potential and not so much what jobs you have worked :)
- Use the STAR structure to plan out some interview answers that could apply to multiple questions
- Be honest and enthusiastic! It'll show if they can see you're excited about the opportunity
- Remember to breathe through the interview, it'll help with nerves :)
