Laboratory Technician Review

You experience a different area of Charles River Early Discovery each year. The first year was made up of learning Tissue Culture. The second year was running routine assays in DMPK. The final year was working as part of a team to perform analytical chemistry.

I have learnt many new skills, both physical skills that are related to training in the laboratory and soft skills. Soft skills such as communication and confidence when presenting to an audience.

I do enjoy being around the people I work with and learning from them. I have enjoyed the times where I have been left to get on and organise/ carry out work on my own.

At the beginning of my apprenticeship it was very unstructured and I was unsure how the apprenticeship and company worked, it was incredibly difficult to understand how each side communicated. It was also challenging to structure my time around both the work at work and working at home that I had to complete for the university, while learning new techniques in the laboratory. However, as the years have progressed there is a lot more support surrounding the communication with the university and the company. Information that I need for completing any for of work is now more easily available.

At the beginning of my apprenticeship there was little support as the employer had not had any apprenticeships before. But, as my final year came around I felt amazingly supported with a fantastic line manager and mentors who where always willing to answer my questions and help me out.

I feel well supported by the teaching staff and administrators as they are always quick to answer emails and willing to call and answer my questions. However, I think the supervisors who check in on you to see how you are progressing may be overworked to the point where they are not given the chance to answer all emails and queries.

I feel that there are a lot of topics that link well with the work I carry out in the laboratory and so I have some experience with the work I am writing about in my apprenticeship.

There are some available such as, board game nights and Christmas dinners. However, these where put to a stop after the covid 19 pandemic.

Yes

I think it is one of the best ways to learn about a job role.

Show that you are motivated and interested in science and have the ability to organise your time well.