Laboratory Analyst Apprentice Review

Each week I am assigned one day to complete my studies for my university course and the other four days are spent in the office and the labs. My work within the department consist of conducting my own studies, running experiments and gathering and analysing data. I work in an analytical team that supports a variety of work packages through various analyses. I supply the data I generate to other team members as well as presenting my work within my team and to other teams in a number of forums.

I have learnt a range of skills in the labs from the basics of sterile technique to running all of the different assays that operate in the team as well as the analysis and understanding of the data I am generating. As well as this I have built on my communication skills and my presentation skills and have developed my confidence a lot.

I enjoy the programme a lot as it gives me the chance to be responsible for my own time and to manage myself and my workload effectively. I have learnt and regularly use a variety of techniques and analyse and present my own data allowing me to fully understand the work I am doing which makes the work packages interesting. I am also given equally responsibilities to my colleagues and am respected by them making day-to-day work enjoyable.

The program is well structured and there is a lot of support from the university regarding the course and the associated workload. The department I work within are also very well organised ad give a lot of support and there a re a range of groups started by apprentices to offer support. The course requires a lot of self-motivation and organisation as it involves a lot of work and to meet deadlines.

I receive a lot of support from my department in terms of both the work I do in the labs and my day-to-day work as well as ensuring that I get the time and any support I need to complete my studies. There are a range of groups set up by apprentices for support.

I receive a lot of support from my training provider in the form of regular meetings with them to check on my progress as well as the contacts being easily reachable. Within each module of the course the lecturer is made available allowing us to contact them either by email or in online forums and messaging groups to ask any questions relating to the course.

The qualification is quite broad and various modules apply to different parts of my role. Some modules allow a better understanding of the basic principles that underpin the work I am doing, some give an appreciation understanding of the work going on elsewhere in the organisation that allows my work to happen, some apply directly to my role and give me a better understanding of the science I am carrying out and some are more generalised, for example project management, allowing me to perform better in these types of situations.

There are many social events set up by apprentices to get involved in as well as events within the department to socialise with my colleagues in my department. There is a gym onsite that has sports teams to join as well as many people joining sports teams outside of work. There are a lot of professional networking events both internal and external to the company to get involved in.

Yes

The company is very supportive and encourages development in both my role within the group as well as my university course and my personal development through various course from the very beginning of the apprenticeship. There are lots of opportunities to get involved in to further develop my knowledge and skillset to enhance my career.

The course requires a lot of self-motivation and time management however it is very rewarding and there is a lot of support, most people will be willing to help if you ask. In terms of the application the most important thing is to be yourself and to show you personality and drive as these are very important values to the company.