This year’s Graduate Training Programme (GTP) is bigger than ever. Last week, 23 graduates arrived at Veramed’s UK offices, swelling the ranks of our already fast-growing company.
For some, 23 may seem like an unexpectedly high number of inexperienced new employees to take on. But at Veramed, we recognise that, in an industry where the need for young Statisticians and Programmers is acute, we have a responsibility to nurture the next generation of talent. Across the company, more seasoned team members often assume responsibilities as line managers, mentors, and buddies, providing the cohort with training and support for their first three months and beyond.
In the 12 weeks ahead, our new grads will be introduced to the biopharma industry: developing their understanding of the work we do to advance patient health, honing their statistical and programming skills, and getting started on project work for our clients.
It’s not ‘all work and no play’, though – the grads have already had a taste of our vibrant social schedule, with welcome drinks behind them, and a village fete, minigolf, a calligraphy masterclass, and more to look forward to!
What was their first week as Graduate Statisticians and Programmers at Veramed like? We sat down with some of our grads to find out.
What has your first week at Veramed been like?
“My first week at Veramed has definitely shown how warm and welcoming everyone at Veramed is. It has been very pleasant and exciting getting to meet so many new people. The way the training has been structured is very informative.”
– Fiza Munir, Statistician I, Twickenham office
“I am a Swansea starter but they sent me to Twickenham for the first week, which was a very good idea. It was a great icebreaker being able to meet the majority of employees in Twickenham in person instead of only knowing them virtually.”
– Ed Hinds, Programmer I, Swansea office
“Everyone in the office (and online) have been so friendly and welcoming. It’s been nice joining with other grads too and we’ve all got to know each other really quickly.”
– Megan Harries, Programmer I, Alderley Park office
What are you excited about for the grad programme?
“Starting work on the dummy study, so that I can apply the SAS knowledge that I have been accumulating. I am also excited to get to start working with clients to apply the skills I have learnt to real world situations”
– Alexander Luo, Statistician I, Twickenham office
“I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with a project. I’ve really enjoyed learning to code so far, so I can’t wait to learn more. Also looking forward to the baked goods that people bring into the office!”
– Emily Hinks, Statistician I, Alderley Park office
“I’m looking forward to applying statistical and programming knowledge gained from University and work on quality projects when the opportunity arises. I’m also excited to get into an industry I’ve always wanted to be a part of since school, when I undertook work experience in healthcare environments.”
– Iolo Williams, Programmer I, Swansea office
What drew you to using your skills to work in this industry?
“I’ve always had an interest in biology, and wanted to have a positive impact in my chosen career – combine this with an interest in statistics, and it was pretty obvious what sector I should work in!”
– Darcie Thomas, Statistician I, Alderley Park office
“You get a feeling that you are making a change to people’s lives by participating in clinical trials, as new drugs you work on may be the next best treatment for certain diseases, improving the quality of people’s lives.”
– Ed Hinds, Programmer I, Swansea office
“Using my statistics knowledge in the pharmaceutical industry felt like an appropriate fit and has an element of moral reward for me, since ultimately sick people may have their quality of life improved by the clinical products which Veramed have a role in bringing to market.”
– Patrik Atkinson, Statistician I, Alderley Park office
What made you want to join Veramed’s Graduate Training Programme, in particular?
“I had previously worked with Veramed employees and they recommended I look into the graduate scheme. The training program looked very interesting and everyone in the company seemed lovely, so I applied.”
– Eleanor Crompton-Brown, Programmer I, Twickenham office
“The grad programme offered a lot of room to grow and gain skills outside of the core training through their ‘Veramed Excellence Programme’ and this was an important factor for me because I want to become a well rounded individual.”
– Filiz Goktas, Programmer I, Twickenham office
“I had been fortunate to work with Veramed employees before on clinical projects and their friendly, cooperative work style drew me to the company. They made me aware of the programming opportunities and how well you are supported to achieve personal career development goals so I felt Veramed was a good fit to start out in my professional career.”
– Anna Kirkley, Programmer I, Swansea office
“The support available for learning SAS from scratch and Veramed acknowledging that although as a collective grads may have the same skills, the way we learn and apply them is very personalised.”
– Fiza Munir, Statistician I, Twickenham office
