Pharmacetutical Development Apprentice Review

I work within the Chemical Development Department within AstraZeneca which is responsible for developing routes to manufacturing drug substance for active pharmaceutical ingredients, manufacture and use in clinical trials and commercial launch. My job role involves testing active pharmaceutical ingredients and drug intermediates for their solubility levels in a range of organic solvents.

I have developed a range of skills including technical, practical and soft skills. Some of these include: organic synthesis from 50 mg to 65 g, Medium and High throughput experimentation, UPLC, HPLC, Mass Spectrometry, NMR, use of automated solid dispensing robots, CM3 robot along side communication, presentation, analytical software, business improvement and knowledge of the environment,

The course is very busy with both studying and working at the same time but is enjoyable and very rewarding. AZ has a very friendly and inviting culture meaning that through every stage of the course they have been supportive of my learning making it a joy to learn and experience new things.

The course is structured very well. You only study two modules at once with the deadlines in both staggered allowing you to focus on the tasks at hand. There is a lot of support from a dedicated team of staff who are always a phone call away or on the other end of an email. Within AstraZeneca you have a dedicated mentor to support you with every aspect of the course however if more support is required then there are lots of people on hand to help.

Within AstraZeneca there are many people that are on hand to help if it is needed. I have a manager and mentor for day-to-day tasks however I have also got my team who will support me if they are not around. I have also utilised people from other areas of the department to help me on specific areas.

From the Uni I have a dedicated personal tutor to help with any general queries that i may have however there is a dedicated tutor for each module that can assist you with the contact if needed. The staff are contactable by phone and email and always get back to you if they are busy at the time.

The course provides a range of topics that are tailored towards the industry. The main modules cover laboratory skills, chemical concepts, Health and Safety, Business and the environment. These give you the knowledge to understand your job, how a business works and how to carry your work out in both a safe and environmentally friendly way.

There is plenty of extra curricular events to get involved in here at AZ. There are four different departmental meetings each month in which you can go to to socialise and deepen your knowledge. there is an onsite gym with plenty of sports games and gym classes. There are both internal and external networking events between different areas of the business that you can also get involved with.

Yes

AZ has had a huge impact on my life over the past 3 year years. The course ghas been really interesting to me especially because of its relevance to the industry and the work that I carry out in my job. Everyone within AZ has been so supportive and I call my team my 'second family'. Anyone looking for an aprpetnices would have a great experience here.

Make sure to be yourself! Show your enthusiasm for the subject you are applying for and make sure you clue up on AZ before turning up. Have a look at the details of the course and make sure that your CV it up to date with both academic and extra-curricular activities.