Artwork and Design Apprentice Review

I am a 2nd year Artwork and Design Apprentice at GSK. My current role consists of creating the technical documents for consumer healthcare packaging such as CAD drawings and specifications. I also use a system to manage the end to end process of packaging changes and new pack requests. My daily interactions are mainly with people surrounding me in my working environment, however I am regularly in contact with different people from different sites in relation to my job role and my apprentice role. I am regularly involved in Apprentice calls and have recently been selected as the new Social Lead for the GSK Apprentice Network team of 11. Being an apprentice, I also take part in National Challenges such as The Brathay Apprentice Challenge. I also attend careers events to promote the GSK Apprentice Scheme and various STEM activity requests, these are educational but fun things apprentices at GSK get involved in. I am currently working on a couple of projects in relation to the area that I work within however the college that I attend, I receive external briefs through my tutor who recognizes my skills and helps me expand on my graphic design knowledge.

During my first year at GSK I have learned a lot. Not only do I gain vocational knowledge through the NVQ and Diploma that I am working towards but I have learned to develop and improve on specific skills such as communication. I feel like this is a key skill that being in the working environment has taught me. I have attended a three day CAD course which gave me the education of the programs that I would be using on a daily basis. I have also completed a Level 2 City and Guilds CAD course in which I hope to complete a Level 3 in the near future. I am given the opportunity to complete an Adobe Certified qualification which would be widely recognized. GSK has given me every opportunity

I thoroughly enjoy my programme as it is very well structured and I am provided with the relevant training in order to be able to do the jobs that is required of me within the organisation of the business. I enjoy that my work is valued and I am relied on as part of the team.

I feel extremely valued by GSK for reasons such as the management I recieve from my line manager and mentor. I am also entitled to the benefits the company offers such as the pension and share scheme. The GSK community at the site I work at is quite closely nit as I am always made aware of what is going on and what is going on on site.

My programme has been carefully thought out as I am given the opportunity to become competent in all of the roles within the office. My technical training is directional and valuble for my role within GSK. The amount of time I am allowed training in specific roles is well thought out as some roles require a longer amount of training than others. I am also given the opportunity to suggest any college courses that will benefit my work.

I recieve a lot of support from my training provider however having already completed A-Levels some of the work is not challenging enough however I enjoy the challenges at work that I am posed with

I recieve a lot of support from my employer as welfare services are available to anyone who needs them and I am made aware of how to access these. I am also given the opportunity to write a personal development plan for my manager to see what extra things I may have done during the course of the year. I am given objectives every year in which I have to meet and I know exactly where to access these and have no doubts in asking anyone for help in how I can meet and exceed these.

My salary and package is one of the best apprentice packages around. I am entitles to the benefits and bonuses of being a GSK employee and the salary is highly competative. I am given the opportunity to recieve a pay rise and bonus based on my performance which I feel is a good incentive. I am able to opt into the share schemes which allows me to save money through the company. I am also able to pay into a pension which I know a lot of apprentices would not be able to do.

I am given opportunities every day at work however I am also given external opportunities through my college. This allows me to get my name recognised for the work I do. For example, I have recently been approached by the local football club who needed a new logo for their support group, I took on this challenge and presented them with 10 design ideas in which they picked one and have recently been embroided onto polos and displayed at ther local club. GSK also advertises volunteering events such as The British Transplant Games which I volunteered for in June. Working for GSK also allows you to use one day out of the year to do community work - An Orange Day - I chose to do trail Blazing for mine in which I was able to spend the day with other GSK employees building a cycle track in a local forrest.

Yes

I would reccomend GSK because of the value it places on its employees and the well structured program that is the Apprentice Scheme.

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