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Work experience for school students at GSK
We organise over 250 work experience placements for school students each year at our sites across the UK. Due to the number of requests we receive it is not possible to provide placements for all students who apply. However, we are able to support students in other ways, for example, by providing information for school projects. Details of our resources for schools and students are available on this website.
University students should visit the Students and graduates section for information on industrial and summer placements.
GSK headquarters, Brentford
Any work experience placements offered by managers at our headquarters in Brentford are available to students from schools in the London Borough of Hounslow on work experience programmes organised by their school and Hounslow Education Business Partnership (HEBP). Students must be in Year 10 and above at the start of the placement to be accepted on work experience. Applications must be made through HEBP who will advise schools and pupils about the application procedure as placements become available.
Placements may be arranged by a GSK employee for a student who is a relative or acquaintance. Again, the student must be in Year 10 and above and aged 14 and above at the start of the placement. The GSK employee would need to host the placement which should be set up using the guidelines on the company’s intranet site.
GSK's Research & Development (R&D) sites
Stevenage, Ware and Welwyn (Hertfordshire) and Harlow (Essex):
There is one annual one-week work experience programme for Year 12 and 13 students held during February half-term week. There are up to 60 places in scientific laboratories and some Information Technology (IT) and Statistical areas. The application process is competitive and based on an application form.
To request a work experience pack and application form for the February 2010 programme write to:
Schools Liaison Co-ordinator, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY.
Packs will be posted out in late September/early October 2009. The strict deadline for the arrival of completed application forms for the February 2010 programme is 5th November 2009.
Tonbridge (Kent):
There are no opportunities for work experience at this site other than for students specifically invited from local schools, or if students can arrange a placement from a member of GSK staff that they know personally (see below). Work experience at Tonbridge takes place during February half-term week.
Although we offer up to 60 places each year on the GSK R&D work experience schemes at the above sites, we receive over 500 applications for placements. Therefore all students who apply complete an application form and students are selected for places on the information they supply in the form.
For examples of how to maximise your chances of success, look at the Getting a Job module (Applying for a job activity) on www.atworkwithscience.com
R&D placements outside the centrally organised week site may be arranged by a GSK member of staff for a student who is a relative or acquaintance. The student must be in Year 11, 12 or 13 at the start of the placement. We recommend that students should be in Years 12 or 13 for scientific placements in laboratories to ensure the benefits for both the student and GSK are maximised. Students in Year 10 will not be considered. The GSK member of staff should contact the Schools Liaison Co-ordinator who is based at GSK R&D in Stevenage for details of what they need to do.
Crawley and Stockley Park
There are no formal work experience programmes at GSK’s Crawley and Stockley Park sites.
Other GSK sites
Enquiries regarding placements at other GSK sites should be sent to the relevant site.
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