Supporting vocational routes to careers in chemistry
Following on from our president’s visit to LGC, we take a look at some of our other activities promoting vocational routes for National Apprenticeship Week.
Our vocational registration specialist Alice O’Connor, visited the AstraZeneca site in Chesterford Research Park to spend a day in the life of their higher apprentice, Dan Rhodes.
The AstraZeneca site at Chesterford Park just outside Cambridge is part of the global IMED Biotech Unit, focused on the discovery of the next generation of medicines from initial target selection to Phase II trial completion. The IMED research teams employ state-of-the-art techniques to design, synthesise and test innovative new drug molecules.
“The thing that really attracted me about an apprenticeship was actually doing work in the lab,” says Dan. “I didn't want to just learn from text books.
“AstraZeneca is one of the biggest biopharmaceutical companies in the world. It's where the science is happening and where the new ideas are. Analytical chemistry is a vital part of the drug discovery process; you can't do the job without it. It's essential to the progression of our projects and the development of the new oncology medicines.”
Alice spent the morning watching Dan use different types of chromatography to check the purity of potential drug compounds – a process that is vital to refining the synthetic methods used in drug development.
“I found it a very interesting and enjoyable experience,” said Alice. “It was great to see how immersed the apprentice was in the company and that the work they were doing is worthwhile. As they are still studying, I didn’t think they would have the level of autonomy that they have. It is really encouraging to see that they are given this responsibility.”
“The biggest misconception about apprenticeships is that an apprentice is suitable only for filling low-skilled roles,” explains Jenny Kingston, Associate Principal Scientist in the IMED Biotech Unit at AstraZeneca. “We have focused on recruiting the most enthusiastic talent, providing an alternative scientific career path. We have designed roles that will allow our apprentices to continue to develop their skills and knowledge throughout their apprenticeship programme, becoming independent scientific contributors to our research projects.”
Alice also spent some time working with Megan Mylrea, an undergraduate sandwich student from the University of Nottingham spending her year in industry at AstraZeneca.
“I chose to do a sandwich course because I think it will be beneficial to show future employers I have gained industrial lab experience when searching for jobs” says Megan. “I really like working in the labs and AstraZeneca have allowed me, as a student, to work on projects that are making life changing medicines for the future. I think I've achieved more than I ever thought I could. I'm only six months in and have learnt so much already, I'm so glad I did it because I've already got so much out of it!”
Because we accredit the apprenticeship and undergraduate placement training programmes at AstraZeneca, both Dan and Megan will be able to achieve registered status at the end of their schemes. The registers are competence-based designations that demonstrate a high standard of professional practice and commitment to further skills development. Both Dan and Megan feel that registered status will help them progress in their careers.
“It looks good to employers,” says Dan. “They know that the work and the science that you're doing is good quality.”
“I think it's really great that if you've been on an industrial placement as part of your degree having worked in a scientific field as well as develop key skills, the RSci award captures them in a certification” adds Megan. “Hopefully it will make my CV stand out in the future.”
As well as Alice’s trip to AstraZeneca, our careers specialist, Robert Bowles, spoke to vocational students at an event run by City and Islington College in London. The event was organised by the college to encourage more of their students to consider applying for higher apprenticeships as an alternative to going to university and was supported by representatives from the University of Greenwich and the Royal Society of Biology.
You can find out about apprenticeship opportunities at AstraZeneca on their website.
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