Celebrating Milestones Through Our ‘Refer a Friend’ Programme
We recently sat down with Abigail, who joined our Laboratories team a few months back through our ‘Refer a Friend’ programme, after being approached by a former colleague who knew her background in Laboratory Training. She shares what her first few months have been like, her advice for anyone looking to join our Laboratories team and much more.
You recently passed your probation after joining us from an employee referral, talk us through that initial process.
I was approached by an ex-colleague and friend who told me about the role of Training Officer at RPS, a Tetra Tech Company. She explained that it was a new role for the business and knew my background in training within laboratory environments, so thought I would be a good fit. The application, interview and on-boarding all went very smoothly and after joining I quickly felt like I was already making a meaningful contribution. If I’m honest, my first 3 months flew by and was a whirlwind of learning new things and settling in. There is a real emphasis on collaborative working at Tetra Tech, which helped me to overcome the challenges I faced during my probationary period with ease.
Before joining, what stood out to you compared to other organisations you considered?
It was refreshing to hear that a large corporation like RPS, a Tetra Tech Company had noticed a gap in their operations and had identified a need for a new role - that really stood out to me as an indicator for a dynamic workplace that values continuous improvement. After reading up a little more and attending the interview, it became clear that my personal career goals aligned with the goals of the company.
What surprised you the most in your first few weeks here?
The team at Bedford were so welcoming, I was constantly being approached by my new colleagues, keen to get to know me and learn about my previous experiences. During my interview I was told that the site was going through a period of rapid growth, but I didn’t realise quite how fast that growth was until I started. I jumped straight in to on-boarding on average 2 starters per week – sometimes there were as many as 4 in a week. During my probationary period I on-boarded more than 20 new starters, so it was a very busy start to the role.
What does a typical day as a Training Officer in our laboratory unit entail?
Most weeks I have at least one new starter who requires induction, so I will spend most of my time working with them to get their induction completed as soon as possible, so that they are able to join their team and begin their role. Inductions require me to wear many hats, as I help the new starters to set up their IT accounts; I conduct training sessions for Health and Safety including Manual Handling, as well as taking them on a site tour, and giving a brief introduction to the roles and responsibilities of each department. My main responsibilities day to day also include issuing training records when requested by staff, signing off completed training, managing the training matrix and supporting the laboratory team with essential skills training such as equipment calibrations.
What does ‘Good Training’ mean in a laboratory environment?
I believe that the key features of ‘Good Training’ in a laboratory environment are expanding the capabilities of new starters in a way that considers their previous experience and background, whilst ensuring that they are learning at a pace that is comfortable for them and efficient for the business. It’s also important to provide the trainee with structure for the training including a clear end point, so that they are able to evaluate themselves and track their progress. It is crucial that the trainee gains a strong foundation of understanding about laboratory practices, Health and Safety regulations and Quality standards to ensure that they are able to carry out their responsibilities in a way that keeps everyone safe. Our induction process has some assessments in place which evaluate the new starter’s understanding of these standards and regulations. As the trainee specialises into their role-specific training, their competence is assessed using numerical data and calibration curve comparison.
What support or resources made the biggest difference during your probationary period?
My new role is very collaborative, so during my probationary period there was always someone available to help me, whether it was an Analyst assisting me with technical details or a Talent Acquisition Partner advising me on corporate on-boarding requirements. There was always someone available to assist me in my learning and answer my questions. My manager has also been extremely supportive and has listened to my feedback and concerns which has really made me feel heard and my opinions valued.
What are you most looking forward to developing or delivering over the next 12 months?
I am keen to continue developing the training programme here at Bedford and providing meaningful training to staff, current and new. I believe that striving for continuous improvement in a laboratory environment is key to success, as regulations and standards are changing all the time so it’s crucial that we stay up to date with them, even ahead of the curve if possible. In December I trained to be a Coach for Manual Handling training, so I am excited to start delivering those sessions. I will also be attending a First Aid at Work Training course with St John Ambulance this year which has been a long-term goal of mine.
What advice would you give to someone considering joining us through our referral programme?
Just go for it! Even if it feels scary or doesn’t feel like the right time, if someone has seen a job and thought of you, then that’s your first positive sign right there! Have a chat with the person referring you and find out what it was about the role that made them think of you – understanding your strengths from someone else’s perspective can be really eye-opening. Referrals can feel like more pressure than a normal job application, but in reality they make starting a new job that little bit less scary because there’s that one person there who you know believes in you.
Interested in joining our Laboratories team?
Our Labs division is growing and we’re looking for talented people who want to be part of our next chapter. If you’re inspired by stories like Abigail's and ready to take the next step in your career, explore our current opportunities by visiting the link below.
