Technician I Review

I work in Cell Culture, where we grow cells for biological assays. As part of this team, I'll be involved with activities on a daily basis such as monitoring the cell growth, passaging the cells when necessary, reviving cells, plating cells from flasks and freezing down cell stocks.

Yes, I've gone from having no lab experience to having experience working in 3 different types of labs. The scheme operates so that each apprentice rotates into a new department each year so that we can broaden our knowledge of drug discovery and are continually developing new skills.

I very much enjoy the programme. There are times where it can seem daunting however there are lots of people ready to help and teach you, making it very easy to ask questions.

The organisation of the programme can vary by department, however in my experience the scheme has been fairly well organised.

Each apprentice is given a line manager and a mentor and both in my experience have been very supportive, not just for the work side of things but the study side too. Furthermore, all coworkers I've encountered have been patient and taken the time to support my learning.

The self-study guides could be more comprehensive- in many modules the lessons can sometimes lack structure and occasionally are not very well explained/don't necessarily cover all the needed information. However, the university provides academic contacts who are always ready to help and the summer school is very helpful.

Although the beginning modules are not immediately relevant to what an apprentice is necessarily doing at work, they (along with the later modules) provides a solid scientific basis for the understanding behind the activities at the workplace. It also gives a important knowledge for future work after the qualification.

This can vary from department to department, but generally speaking yes, and everyone is always enthusiastic to get involved and include others, which has helped develop a great culture to work in.

Yes

I was unsure when I first applied for the apprenticeship if it was right for me, but I thought I'd give it a go and it was one of the best decisions I've made. I really enjoy my job.

Ask as many questions as you need to to broaden your knowledge. If you don't understand something, ask and someone will be more than happy to help.