T Level Placement

Hear from Oscar, a T Level Laboratory Sciences student who completed a nine-week work experience placement at the LMB:

Could you explain what your placement involved?

This placement really helps with developing skills and techniques used in a laboratory as well as learning how to communicate and act professionally. My placement involved weekly rotations around the different facilities: mass spectrometry, flow cytometry, light microscopy, genotyping, tissue culture and electron microscopy. At the end of those weeks I had a choice of two weeks in a facility, and I chose mass spectrometry.

How did you feel on your first day?

I felt so welcomed by everybody, I felt like I had already been working there for years. All the staff were so friendly and supportive, teaching me all the techniques and skills in their facilities.

What were some of the most memorable or rewarding moments during your placement?

There are so many! One was being able to use a mass spectrometer for the first time, as I learned all about them in lessons and I was so curious as to what they look like and how they function in the real world. Another memorable moment was using an electron microscope; seeing pathogens at that tiny scale blew my mind. One last memorable moment was being able to attend a few presentations about what some of the scientists have discovered, that left me completely astonished.

What do you think you have gained from your time at the LMB?

I think I have gained loads of skills: from pipetting, pouring bottles precisely, working a centrifuge, a PCR machine, a fluorescent light microscope, a flow cytometer, an electron microscope and tissue culture. It has given me a whole world to decide from when pursuing a scientific career. It has also helped me decide what kind of courses I want to study at university and rule out the courses I wouldn’t enjoy.

What advice would you give to someone who’s thinking about coming to the LMB for work experience?

If you have a great interest in the biological sciences, I would 100% recommend applying for work experience at the LMB. The machinery, scientists and equipment are amazing. The experience and knowledge you gain is outstanding, helping to lead you towards the scientific career that suits you the best.