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University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
"I am a QA Microbiologist for Cobra Biopharmaceuticals."
Stephan Croft was awarded the special memorial prize for achieving the best overall performance in his University department for 2003.
But what the First Class Honours student noticed straight away in his first job since leaving University was that even the simple computer skills he had learned there stood him in good stead.
He said: “In fact, all the skills that I had learnt throughout my course have directly underpinned my new job. In my initial interview, my seniors were astounded at how relevant the course material and practical skills were to the job description and role within the company."
“Two things shine out – the first involves Excel, the University’s favourite software package - all departments in my company use this package everyday to exhaustion. So keep on promoting its use to all those budding students! And the other is PowerPoint. Each month, each department has to give a presentation using PowerPoint on their specialist areas. As a consequence, it was just so handy to know how to use these simple tools to get the job done."
“I am working for Cobra Biopharmaceuticals, a company which is fast growing and have recently taken over a GMP production site in Oxford, which is where my position is based. This has just been all renovated by Cobra, which works within the protein production/ purification, viral vaccine and genetic engineering sectors."
“My position is as a QA microbiologist. I am told there is much scope to advance through other fields when the time is right, which makes it all very interesting."
“I have to deal with a great many departments and I believe I have been able to do this with the utmost effectiveness because of the wide skill base that I had purposefully developed through my wide range of module choices. It has been a pleasure helping to get the new facility up and running, being involved in writing protocols, documents and safety information sheets. I have also learnt many new skills, above that of a scientist, especially from the facility, engineering, legal, and market sales perspectives."
“Seeing the processes involved with a company setting a site up from scratch and the procedures involved with such things like initial governmental validation seem rather a rare thing for a fresh graduate and worth its weight in gold on the CV."
“I am grateful to the University too, for all their help and guidance, not just while I was there, but when I left and needed references and was seeking my first position within the scientific industry.”
Stephan lived at home in Leighton Buzzard in Bedfordshire throughout his degree course and recommends students look carefully at their local university. “Students tend to think more romantic thoughts about far away universities being better but with today’s financial implications, I feel that local university should be seriously considered."
“Luton delivered both interesting course options, highly skilled lecturers who were more than willing to help those who were serious about their study, an abundance of library and IT resources and many socialising opportunities."
“The University also paid for me to journey to Poland where I travelled through the foothills with a party from the Adam Michelvitz University – the two Universities have a good history of working together to share resources and knowledge."
“Being a student rep throughout my stay at university gave me the capacity to hear many students’ and lecturers’ views – a sound interaction of debate, constructive criticism and praise alike. I was happy at Luton, feeling involved both in student life and with the department. The lecturers were both my mentors and in the end, more like friends. And other friends that I met at the University have become friends with my original friends at home, which is great!”
Interview took place in 2005
Apply» Faculties & Departments» Division of Science» Student Alumni Profiles» Stephan Croft: BSc Hons Biology
