Junior Technician Review

As an apprentice at Charles River you get to experience a lot of different tasks. My current role in the company is to develop sets of data for my project team, which can then be reported to the client and improve their satisfaction. Some daily tasks I have been able to learn are; various assay techniques (biochemical and enzyme assays), data analysis of my plate readouts, lab notebook reports and project meetings. This varies among departments depending on your rotation position in the company. With the daily task come new responsibilities which you learn to adapt to but you are always fully supported by your mentor and manager.

In regards to skills and developing pre-existing skills I have been incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to do so. Charles River offer an apprenticeship that allows you to experience the workflow in various departments within the company. From my time in analytics for my first year, I learn't all the basic skills that I needed to perform any task, coming from a non-scientific background. These skills include pipetting, time management, communication and capabilities relevant to the role. In my second year, I moved into the Biology department where I learn't more developed skills such as assay techniques for various projects. These were built on the basis of my skill development during my time in Analytics. I have also learnt how to use new machinery and equipment to aid my role, and save time to allow me to get the most out of my working hours. The apprentices also have journal sessions which allow us to enhance our ability to read scientific literature, in this session we get to present to the team and practice presenting, which is useful in the industry.

So far I have definitely enjoyed the programme, as it has given me the opportunity to work alongside individuals with expertise in the field, along with practical work. The company culture is very welcoming and my colleagues are always open to help me with anything I am struggling with. The university course, provided by the university of Kent, is engaging and covers a variety of different topics including both biological and chemistry aspects. The program is quite straight forward and allows you to develop your capabilities without feeling overwhelmed, which is great.

I have found that this is a very organised programme to be involved in, as you always know what your next steps are and what is expected of you. One to one meetings are scheduled regularly with your manager and mentor, which gives you an opportunity to ask questions and clarify certain tasks you are expected to do. Upon starting the apprenticeship, safety inductions and training schedules are organised to monitor your development and make sure you receive relevant training.

As mentioned in the previous questions, a lot of needed support is supplied by both the mentors and managers of the scheme. I feel like there is never a stupid question to ask them, as they are always happy to help you. If there is a problem that they cannot personally help you with, they will always guide you in the right direction for you to find support. They also keep up to date with your university course so they understand your work load and monitor any issues you have.

A similar attitude of support is given by the University of Kent when we work through our online modules and coursework. You have a point of contact for the university and module convenors who are free to contact when you need help with the content, this allows you to keep making progress and achieve high grades in exams as they are very helpful at explaining things.

I believe the qualification provides the background knowledge and understanding required for us to understand our assays and roles in the company. We cover topics in the degree that are relevant to the jobs we perform on a daily basis, e.g. enzyme assays and the effect of enzymes on inhibition. This has come in useful when I took on the responsibilities of a weekly compound screen using various enzymes.

I have been lucky enough to be involved in different activities: the journal club for apprentices, badminton at lunch, training lectures provided by the company and poster sessions allowing me to present to a wider audience. Other opportunities the company offer are volunteer charity days and stem events.

Yes

Charles River provide effective training and are very supportive as a company. They also help you to get involve with the wider team and understand how the industry works together to reach a final goal. Further to that, they offer various opportunities and allow you to get practical experience, alongside studies which are always engaging and interesting to learn.

If I was to apply again for Charles River I would make sure that I came across as confident and passionate about the career path it offers. I would also ask more questions about things I could get involved in, but most of all ask about previous apprentice experiences.