Angela LeeStudent Biostatistician

BSc (Hons) Mathematics and statistics

What is Covance Inc. ?

Covance is one of the world’s largest drug development company and it works alongside pharmaceutical and biotech companies by providing services helping to bring effective and safe medicines to the market sooner. There are many sites around the world.

Main Job as a Student Biostatistician

During this job role the main tasks that you are required to do are :

•Analyse data using computer software (sometimes over 1000 observations worth of data!)

•Create randomisation schedules for clinical trials. Randomisations schedules are lists of treatment allocations that have been randomly generated in SAS.

•Organise the department’s Christmas meal and secret Santa (all students do this!)

Social Events

Covance has many social events such as Christmas

meals, secret Santa and many events from the sports

and social club such as the annual quiz night where

teams from all different departments compete to win the

trophy or other various prizes (chocolates, wine or

money) from other side quizzes held on that night.

Living at Leeds

There are many affordable places to live in and around Leeds and there are many transportation links so its easy to get to Leeds town centre by bus or train. I lived at Cross Gates just outside of Leeds and a train season ticket for a month cost about £40. Living in Leeds gave me new experiences whilst making new friends at my rented accommodation for the year and helped me to develop my independence.

Problems Faced and Achievements

The biggest problems I faced at this placement was to understand some of the complex coding used in creating graphs but it is easy to ask for help to understand the coding.

I have achieved many skills whilst at Covance for example gaining more confidence with myself to make certain decisions which will be vital in the future. I have also learnt many other technical and transferable skills as listed below.

Technical skills

•Learn how to use SAS V8 and V9.2

•Programming skills to create graphs, tables and listings

•Compile computerised datasets to calculate statistics

•Background knowledge on various aspects of clinical trials and the analysis of it. E.g. Bayesian statistics.

Transferable skills

•Communication skills–Meetings–Emails–Phone–Face to Face

•Time keeping by meeting deadlines•A professional attitude towards work•Presentation skills •Organisational skills•Social skills

Fears and Advice

A fear I had when I first started was how to work in a completely new environment and how to be professional towards other employees around the office but with time I got used to this and made things a lot easier.

My advice for all students would be that getting a placement will be the best decision that you make as you earned money to pay off debts, meet new people and obtain valuable experience that will help in your final year at university!

Pay, Holidays and Perks

£14,400 per year gross plus bonus

25 days paid holiday and public holidays

Flexi Time

Free drinks available

Dress down Fridays

Name: Roseanne Short

Course: Mathematics

Placement at: Nissan Sunderland

Job title: Parts Controller

Duration: June 2010 – July 2011

Salary: £12,000 per annum

Holidays: 26 days per annum including 2 week Summer Shutdown and Christmas break

Benefits: Early finish on Fridays, discounted events tickets and Nissan Select scheme.

Nissan Sunderland

NMUK has been producing cars since 1986 and is the largest car plant in the UK. It is also the most productive car plant in Europe, with a record volume for Financial Year 2010 of 448,110 vehicles being manufactured.The plant currently builds 4 vehicles across 2 production lines, and employs over 5000 people.

Job RoleI work in the Trim section of parts control, production control. I manage 6 suppliers to NMUK who supply parts such as the “Nissan” emblems, engine brackets & covers, fuel and water hoses and labels and tapes. In the last year I have managed over 30 millions pounds worth of stock. It is my job to manage the parts from concept right up until the part is fitted to a vehicle at the line. I am involved with the development of new parts, design changes, inventory management, as well as resolving quality and delivery concerns.

Experience on Placement

Over the last year I have gained so much knowledge of the automotive industry and the workings of a global business. In the period from June 2010 – July 2011 both NMUK and Nissan globally have experienced many challenges; Micra phase out, new model launch of Juke, parts supply concerns due to Japan Earthquake and tsunami, as well as impossible logistics scenarios caused by the extreme weather conditions in the winter. I have thoroughly enjoyed overcoming these challenges as part of the Production Control team.

I feel it has been invaluable experience for future employment in the business sector and would recommend Nissan for students interested in this field. Taking a year out of Uni to work in Industry has definitely benefitted my overall learning. Although my placement has not directly worked in a maths based field, my knowledge of business and industry has grown as well as my confidence within a professional working environment. I have been able to build my CV and will be able to draw on my experiences at Nissan in future employment, whether at Nissan or otherwise.

£12,818 per annumMonday –Thursday

07.55-16.40Friday

07.55-14.25 26 days paid holiday

which includes Christmas &

Summer shutdowns

Manufactures Qashqai, Qashqai +2, Note & Juke 5000 direct and indirect staff

Katelyn Dunbar

Mathematics

Friendly office environmentRegular social eventsRange of discount and special offersCar park - easy access fromA1 and A19Bus service from Sunderland & Newcastle

SKILLSManagementOrganisation

CommunicationAnalytical

Team Work

Production Control: Parts Consolidation Centre

Manage supply and design change for parts consolidated at NMUK and

shipped to other Nissan manufacturing plants

Cost reduction opportunitiesPCC saves customers logistics costs, and increase quality of parts through

repack and quality checksCommunicate with a large supplier

and customer base, across the globe

MY ROLEManage Iran project

Supply parts for Qashqai manufactureInvestigate claims

Send sea and air freight shipmentsClosing Iran Project

Recover costs through stock movementNegotiate supplier obsolescence claims

Suggest revisions to cooperation agreementMonthly Finance Reports

Present PCC’s costs and profit for the month to Japan

Assist in business plan formation

Work experience with real operational objectives

and responsibility

Nissan (NMUK) : ProfileNissan is a Japanese company that was founded in 1933. It sells cars globally and has a luxury car-range named Infiniti. In 1999 Nissan entered an alliance with Renault France to help to maintain both companies profitable position within the vehicle market.NMUK is Nissan’s UK production plant and offices which is located in Washington, Sunderland. The plant was built in 1984 and employs approximately 4,500 direct staff. NMUK is the most productive car plant in Europe and makes more ‘cars per man’ than any other factory.NMUK currently produce four models of cars: Note; Juke; Qashqai and Qashqai +2. Production is across two separate lines – Line 1 works 24 hours Monday – Saturday and Line 2 work 16 hours per day Monday – Friday (plus occasional Saturday overtime). The total vehicles made at NMUK per year is approx 500,000!Nissan have recently released the first mass-produced 100% electric vehicle. NMUK have had confirmation that the Nissan Leaf will be produced at the Sunderland plant along with the battery for the vehicle – which will be made in the all new battery plant.

Jodie Hargreaves Mathematics With Business Management (BSc HONS)

Nissan Production Control – In House PlanningJune 2010 - September 2011

Placement Profile

Name: Jodie HargreavesCourse: Mathematics with Business ManagementEmployer: Nissan NMUKLocation: SunderlandGetting to work: Approx 30 minute drive from NewcastleJob Title: In-House Parts ControlPay: £12,818 p/aPlacement Dates:07/06/11 – 09/09/11Holiday Arrangements:9 Days entitlement + 2 week factory shutdown in July/August + 7 days for the Christmas period.Working Hours:Mon – Thurs 7.55 – 16.40Fri 7.55 – 14.25Some weekends also worked Perks: Discount and car lease available once a permanent employee.Discount on many other large brands/companies as well as local businesses.

What is Production Control and In–House?

Skills learned and qualities gained• Effective communication skills – Especially with those whose first language is not English• Further developed my ability to communicate using diagrams and excel spreadsheets• Time management skills – There have been many occasions when I have had multiple tasks to complete to a deadline• Working in a professional environment and applying aspects of my course to a ‘Real-World’ situation• Self confidence and self motivation has grown• I also feel that I now have a better idea as to what employer’s look for during the recruitment process• Valuable experience in a global company that I can add to my graduate CV

Production Control• Creates the ‘Build Schedule’ for production

• Controls parts supply and manages inventory levels for production at NMUK

• Manages logistics – both inbound and outbound• Also looks at cost and packaging options for acquiring

new parts

In-House• Creates the ‘Build Schedule’ for the ‘sub-lines’

• Manages In-House suppliers such as Nissan Japan, Nissan Cantabria and Renault

• Manages individual shops i.e. Press, Body, Axle and Unit• Orders and forecasts supply and of Powertrain Parts –

Engines and Gearboxes

The key point in Production Control is that the production line should NEVER stop– Every time that it does it costs Nissan over £6000 per minute!!

In-House : My Duties• Manage the supply and inventory levels of the Powertrain parts from both Europe and Japan.• Decide what quantities need ordering for each part number whilst considering available space at the plant and full–truck ordering.• Model the supply and requirements of parts using an excel spreadsheet and gantt charts (annotated diagram to the right).

• Liaise with the suppliers to discuss any parts shortages or overdue orders that we are expecting and then find a way to overcome the problem (Urgent transport / Air Freight).• If there is a risk of stopping the production line it is my responsibility to do everything within my power to prevent this.

Part of a gantt chart: Shows part number and description, demand, orders and current stock.