Knowing what I like and don’t like and what I am naturally good or not good at. Looking at new technologies and ensuring I am working with them.

I am currently working on a project where I am determining the equipment that is required to make the medicine. When the equipment is made I then test it to ensure it is working correctly and the medicine it makes meets the requirements that will make it work and keep patients safe

Design of equipment and processes, writing documents, testing, managing teams, managing action list and giving updates on progress.

Dealing with difficult people, administration – necessary but very time consuming. 

1. Bsc Hons in Environmental Science
2. Msc in Biotechnology

Masters in biotechnology but most of what I do in my job was learned on the job. I now work in engineering where a degree in chemical engineering would be more useful.

Yes, flexible working hours, managing my own work. I take ownership of my career and job choices.

Know what you like and dislike, and what you are good at and not so good at so you study or do an apprenticeship in something that you will love so that work is a job as well as a hobby. Choose a more general degree eg science or engineering where you do a lot of subjects in first year then specialize. If you don’t get the course you want you can still do a similar one as the fundamentals are the same.

Anything that involves science, maths and engineering. It would not be possible to get work experience in what I do in transition year but an overview of roles in a pharmaceutical company along with a tour would be useful.

Validation Engineer