Bea Yambao

What did you enjoy most (or least!) about your course?

I met some of my best friends here at Newcastle University! My love/hate feeling with exam season was always a peculiar time for us as although the stresses that can come with wanting to achieve the best you can can be a lot, going through it with people that can emphasise and understand what you’re going through and that support you through it is a feeling unlike any other. You get a lot of your best laughs in the midst of finals that’s for sure, (the post-exam course nights out and balls also definitely gave you something to look forward to also haha!).

Tell us a little bit about career journey. How did you get into what you do now?

I currently work at the same company I completed my Professional Placement Year at whilst I was completing my course at Newcastle University. During my initial interview process, I was greatly supported by my course professors and the leads of the Professional Placement programme. They had given us an extensive list of companies and career paths people who take my course tend to follow and were always available if I needed to review my CV or complete interview prep. Due to their support, I had received 3 offers to complete a Professional Placement year and was lucky enough to go on to work at GSK during the 2022/23 academic year. My success and achievements in my placement year contributed to me developing a close relationship with my managers and colleagues who had then continued to support me following returning back to Newcastle University to complete my degree, and then recommended me for a Quality Process Monitoring Role at the GSK Barnard Castle Site where I currently work now.

What do you enjoy most about your current job?

My favourite part of working in Quality Process Monitoring is that I am able to put my skills as a Biomedical Sciences student into a different environment than what I traditionally learned in the labs during my uni years. My passion for microbiology and the knowledge J gained during my degree is used every day in different contexts, blighting the importance of its role within the pharmaceutical industry. I love interacting with a range of people across the company in my day-to-day activities and there is always more to learn from my colleagues which always drives me to continue to strive for excellence.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced in your career journey?

When starting my career in pharmaceuticals, my biggest challenge was definitely believing in myself. I had experienced “imposter syndrome” as people call it and began to doubt that I could contribute to such an important field at my young age, and that . However, I learned very quickly that the most important thing in any career is your willingness to learn - no matter how long you have been working in the industry. When I came across tasks and problems in my day-to-day, the support I received from the people around me was key to me succeeding in the things I was doing, and eventually, I became more and more independent and confident without even realising it.

How did your course and experiences at Newcastle University prepare you for your current role?

Being surrounded by experts in varying fields of research meant that I was always asking questions, always looking for more information to build my knowledge and my understanding. This curiosity has always stayed with my and only encouraged me to challenge the status quo, to always ensure that I am doing the right thing in my daily tasks so that I can confidently say that I am doing everything I can to deliver quality products to people in need.

What other things did you do at University which helped you to get where you are now?

Being part of the Biosciences Society really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Although I was not part of the committee, I learnt so many social skills through being part of this group and expanded my circle with people who had the same drive and motivation and passion as I did. Being able to feel empowered that there are so many more people like me who love science and want to use their knowledge to help others in any way possible was a massive confidence boost for me to strive for job roles in industries and companies that I had initially thought were too big for a little university student like me.

What one piece of advice do you wish someone had given you when you first started?

One advice I would give to people when they first start university is that, of course say yes to everything, there will be so many different opportunities and experiences for you to try. But once that fresher frenzy wears off and the realities of university life sets in, keep saying yes to the things that matter. There will always be a report to complete, an exam to revise for, a lecture to prepare notes for - but make sure you also make time for the friends you made, your family back at home, and your health. University life is all about balance and some of the most important skills can be the ones you learn outside of the lecture halls and encounter in the real world.

What support do you wish you had when you first started? And are there any resources that you would recommend to people?

The student wellbeing centre is an amazing resource that although it has always been a centre point of Newcastle University, was something I didn’t utilise until much later on in my time at Newcastle and wish that I had discovered it sooner.