Manufacturing Apprentice Review

My current role is in the New Product Introduction Inspection department. On a day to day basis I have the time to work on my HNC for college. I regularly help with test sets for products in the vials and syringes departments in production. I have had the chance to learn new skills and be trained in new areas including the pilot plant.

I have learnt many new skills including making test sets and the dangers of products. When handling the products the vials are usually broken or poorly sealed deliberately, these test sets are used to validate the machines they will be ran on to train them to detect the defects of the vial.

I am really enjoying my apprenticeship for many reasons. The work is very different to anything I have had the chance to do before. I am working alongside very smart, intelligent people who I aspire to be like. Moreover, I am gaining transferrable skills that I can take into any role such as building my confidence, gaining knowledge about products and meeting/connecting with many new colleagues across the site.

My programme is well structured. We are encouraged to move departments each year to get experience in different areas. We get some input into where we move, where we are most interested in going and what we would like to learn. We also have structure into our qualification side as we have structured dates in which we attend college.

My employer, GSK gives me lots of support, I am given plenty of time to complete college work. I am encouraged to create networks across site to gain knowledge and skills from other people. GSK also gives me so many opportunities, there are plenty of courses to join and lots of skills I can be trained in.

My training provider Gen 2 visit my site monthly for catch up meetings and reviews to ensure we are progressing with our apprenticeship. Moreover, when we attend college fortnightly, we are given plenty of time to work on our important assignments. We are given lots of encouragement to get everything we can out of our apprenticeship programme.

Although I am a manufacturing apprentice and our course is a HNC in engineering, sometimes it is hard to apply what we learn at college to things in work. However, I am given extra knowledge about machinery, parts, how they operate and why they do so. My current knowledge is expanded and we practice maths and science regularly.

There are very many extra curricular activities available at work including pilates, lottery, bee keeping, career days (visiting schools). We are offered a discounted rate at the local gym only walking distance from our site, there is also a swimming pool there. Within each department, colleagues have their own football teams. We are encouraged to get to knows lots of people and build relationships with everyone.

Yes

As well as everything previously stated, I truly believe GSK is one of the best employees. The family/team atmosphere makes you feel like you are part of something important. Also, we are regularly rewarded for our hard work (for example ZAP/Employee of the month.) Moreover, we get very generous benefits involving our pensions and shares. When looking back at my previous 5 jobs, GSK is by far my favourite and I hope to stay here all of my working life.

Be yourself! Be enthusiastic! Research about the company and practice their values and expectations. Express what you would like to get out of your experience with the company and how you would add to their team. Being friendly and excited about the company is a good sign you will bring positivity to the company.