Work Placement Pharmaeuticals Jobs

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Helping you find a career in the pharmaeuticals industry

The pharmaceutical industry has roles for everyone no matter their level of education. While pharmacologists will need a degree, roles such as pharmacy advisors or technicians won't need candidates with a university education. Whatever your role, you'll get to help other people and provide the medicine they need to live their best lives.

Some roles in the industry will involve primarily interacting with customers, while others will be more researched based. So, whether you prefer helping others directly or indirectly, there will be a place for you.

It's one of the biggest industries in the UK and provides 65% of the UK's scientific research. As a result, there's a lot of exciting and new stuff going on in the industry!

The pharmaceutical industry may help people, but it's also a business first and foremost. A pharmaceutical company wants customers to buy their products over their competitors. This means that marketing makes up a big part of the industry. So, if you've got a creative flair, you could find a place in the pharmaceutical industry.

You'll have to keep up to date on the latest scientific developments as new drugs are always being developed. This means you'll be the first to know when there's an exciting new advancement in medicine!

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FAQs

FAQs

Skills & interests you'll need

An interest in healthcare and helping others will be important. Medicine makes people's lives better when they get sick, so improving lives should be your first and last priority.

If you're working in a pharmacy, you'll need to interact with customers and give them advice. This will mean you'll need to be able to listen and be reassuring for your customers. A level of discretion is also needed, as you may be dealing with customers who are embarrassed about their ailments.

If you're in a more research-orientated role, teamwork will be an important skill. Research is rarely carried out alone. Instead, you'll be part of a team, so make sure your communication skills are up to scratch. You also may have to write about your research for others to read, so a good understanding of grammar will be needed.

Other important skills include:

How to get Pharmaeuticals internships, work experience or placements

Without a degree, your options are somewhat limited in pharmaceutics. Often, pharmacy advisors will pursue a relevant degree to help them take a step up in their career. Alternatively, you may be able to take on more responsibility within the pharmacy and work as a team leader, organising and running the day-to-day tasks of the store.

Gaining work experience early can be highly useful. The ABPI offers a handy tool that allows you to search for pharmaceutical recruiters to find those that offer short term placements and internships.

If you want more advanced roles in the industry, such as in research, you'll need a relevant degree, and often a masters degree. This means studying hard and getting good GCSEs and A Levels that will get you into the right universities. Typically, you'll need an A level or two in a scientific subject (biology, chemistry, physics or maths).

Read more about the Pharmaeuticals industry

Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI)
British Pharmacological Society Tomorrow's Pharmacist