Business & Supply Chain Apprentice Review

As a Business and Supply Chain apprentice, my role involves undertaking several rotations within the Logistics Planning department. My most recent rotation has been production scheduling. This has involved attending and contributing to daily and weekly performance/accountability meetings, updating KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and towards the end of my rotation, scheduling demand onto the production lines. I have also assisted the planning department in monitoring their online learning tasks by running weekly metric reports.

Since starting my apprenticeship, I have learnt a whole range of new skills, all of which are required in my current role. For example, I have recently undertaken a two-month production scheduling training module for the site’s new computer system which has massively helped increase my understanding of the system and the functions associated with my current role. Furthermore, by being provided with opportunities to contribute to daily and weekly meetings, my team have helped me develop my communication and overall confidence within the workplace. The college/uni work I have undertaken up to now has also helped me develop my knowledge of topics such as economics and international trade, both of which I know directly impact the area of the business I am currently working in.

I thoroughly enjoy my apprenticeship programme for many reasons. First of all, the team I have worked with throughout my first rotation have all been very supportive of me and encouraged me to take on responsibilities as well as provide opportunities to develop myself and feel like a valued member of the team. It’s great to see how many opportunities there are available within the company and I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing what progressions I can make after finishing my apprenticeship.

I feel very valued as an apprentice at GSK. Everyone in my team always values my opinion and it’s great to feel respected and treated as an equal to everyone else. I recently had the opportunity to switch job roles with a member of the site’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT). It was clear to see how much he valued the apprenticeship scheme and how important he thought it was in contributing to the future of the company.

At first, there were a few difficulties deciding which rotation I should undertake first. As the site was soon cutting over to a new computer system, I was only granted very basic access to the old system. This therefore limited my hands-on ability. However, since gaining full access, my workload and ability to contribute has increased hugely and I now have a clear understanding of what I can get out of each of my rotations and where I’m likely to go to next. Regular 1:1 sessions with my manager also helps as it allows us to monitor my progress. It was also fairly soon after I started that the academic work began and since then it seems to have remained fairly consistent and well-structured.

My tutor is fantastic at ensuring I’m on track with assignments and he is always able to answer any questions I might have. We have bi-monthly catch ups that I find very useful as he will go through all the material relevant to the topics we are studying. The institute’s website also has a wide range of information that is useful when it comes to doing assignments. Their student support team is also very good at keeping me up to date and they are very quick to respond to any queries I have regarding assignments.

Everyone in my team is incredibly supportive and they are always willing to go out of their way to help out or give me advice when I need it. Both my manager and mentor have been great at ensuring my transition into the workplace was smooth and they are always keen to find out how I’m doing. I feel confident approaching them with any problems I am faced with. My manager is also supportive of any new responsibilities I take on and we work closely to ensure I am receiving the support I require.

The salary/package GSK offer is very generous and it has enabled me to be able to move away from home. Despite having to spend the majority of my wage on household bills, I still have money left over for social costs, etc. There are also annual performance-based reviews in place and I see these as good incentives to work towards. The rewards packages and saving plans are also very beneficial. These include things like bonuses, share plans, pension plans and medical cover, all of which can be very useful/worthwhile.

There are many opportunities outside of work. I have recently taken part in an ‘Outward Bound’ week-long team building course. This involved undertaking various outdoor team-building exercises in the Lake District. It provided a great opportunity to network with other apprentices whilst also developing skills we could potentially bring back to the workplace. In addition, there is also the opportunity to be involved with careers fairs and STEM events as a way of giving back to the apprenticeship scheme and inspiring the next generation of apprentices.

Yes

GSK is such an interesting company and working for them is great because it quickly becomes clear how many opportunities there are within the company. There are so many different roles available and the support provided by colleagues is fantastic. I’ve found working at GSK has massively developed my confidence and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing where it takes me.

When applying to GSK, ensure to be yourself when answering the online questions and application forms. Make sure you talk about the things that are important to you (e.g. extra-curricular activities, hobbies, interests, etc). Make yourself stand out from the rest as the company are much more concerned with you as an individual rather than your academic achievements. If you are lucky enough to progress through to the assessment centre, make sure you present yourself in the best way possible, pay attention to each task and the other candidates, contribute where you can and ask any questions you might have. The interview is more of a two-way process because as well as the assessor’s wanting to identify the right candidate, it is also important that you can be certain that GSK is the right company for you.