The respondent to this survey is David who is from a White British background.
| If you are disabled, how do you feel this has affected your employment opportunities? | Unable to travel due to no medical insurance. |
| What qualifications did you hold prior to starting university? | GCE Qualifications.
A Levels: Chemistry
AO Level: Advanced Mathematics
O Levels: Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, French |
| What was the name of your course? | Chemistry (HND) & Adv Analytical Chemistry (L.R.I.C.) |
| While at university have you worked part-time? | No |
| While at university have you performed any voluntary work? | No |
| While at university have you undertake any work experience? | Yes |
| Please give details of your experience? | Being a Sandwich Course of 3 Years (1976-1979)
July 1977 - February 1978
Worked in the Plastics & Polymers Section at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich (Plumstead), S.E. London.
February 1978 - August 1978
Worked at British Gas, R&D Centre in Solihull, W.Midlands |
| How useful did you find this work experience when it came to find a job after graduating? | These two positions (particularly at British Gas) gave me significant insight into working practices of instumentation and analysis and the way the civil service vesus private/public industry function.
Good experience/training was gained for techniques such as HPLC, GC/GLC, TGA, DSC, FTIR, CHN Analysis, Viscometry with low level and non-critical research carried out to assess "glass transition" points via low resolution N.M.R. at the Royal Arsenal.
This ulimately aided me at my interview with I.C.I. (Agrochemicals Division at Jeallotts Hill Research Station, Bracknell) as having a discussion point for initial interview at University, followed by second, in-depth intererview at I.C.I., and offer of position within the Environmental Section as Metabolism & Residue, Analytical Chemist (Experimental Assistant).
I, plus two other students from my course were recommended for this "open" position by the Senior Organic Lecture who had previously worked for I.C.I. at Jeallotts Hill. |
| What is your status? | In full or part time employment |
| What is your job title? | Chromatography Training Manager, Europe |
| What responsibilities do you hold? | Training our staff in traditional and new technologies, Non-commercial Customer Education Courses (both delivery and creating) |
| What do you enjoy the most about this job? | The satisfaction that comes from the customers appreciation of knowledge enhancement (knowing what they didn't already know or weren't aware they didn't know) |
| What do you enjoy the least? | The lost time involved at Airports |
| What was involved in the recruitment process for this job? | Working for 5 years at I.C.I., achieving G.R.S.C. at Thames Valley University (formerly Slough C.H.E. plus starting as a Technical Sales representative in 1984 |
| Do you feel you have a career plan? | No |
| If so, how does your current situation fit into this plan? | Currently I am working part-time due to a serious illness that has effectively put my carreer on-hold. This has inhibited several moves within Waters (both European and U.S.) for which I was to quote "The ideal candidate" but could not move/take/be offered due to no medical insurance cover after my malaise and recurrence (3 times over the past 6 years) was discovered shortly after my move to France. |
| When did you start thinking about what you wanted to do after graduation? Thinking back did you leave enough time for this? | During my final year at Sheffield and myself and 2 fellow students were recommended by the Senior Organic Chemistry Lecturer who had previosly worked for I.C.I. prior to their visit to The Poly (milk round!!!) |
