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Summer Work Experience
Hi there,
I am currently studying chemical engineering and in my third year. I would really love to go into the cosmetics industry and wondering if any one knows of good places to start off and get work experience this summer. I have also looked at summer schools for an introductory course for cosmetic science but a lot of them are distance learning.
Any advice would be appreciated!
Suzanne
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13 Replies
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@suzanne94, where are you located?
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@Bobzchemist, Sorry just seen your reply. I am studying at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. As Aberdeen is the oil and gas capital all career events and fairs focus on the oil and gas industry and don’t provide many services for students wanting to follow a career in cosmetics.
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Suzanne you reminded me of when I was in the UK last year. I got the train through Port Sunlight, that’s Unilever’s base. From their Web site:
“Port Sunlight is the centre for Unilever’s Home Care and Personal Care R&D, with major programmes for Hair, Laundry, Deodorants and Household Care being run from the site. World famous brands such as Dove, Sunsilk, Rexona, Axe, Domestos, TRESemmé, Comfort, Dirt is Good, Surf and Signal all have Port Sunlight technology inside.”I had a massive histamine attack and fell to the floor of the carriage choking. Fortunately the train moved off before I died. God alone knows what is in the air. -
@Belassi wow that does not sound good! I am guessing thats a recommendation to stay away from companies like Unilever?
Do you have any advice on the best way to decide which area in cosemtic science that I would enjoy the most?
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most UK manufacturers don’t really take on temporary lab staff in the way you want; in my view, your best bet is to start with a basic lab role at a big private label/own brand manufacturer, that way you can get some initial training, along with a sufficiently broad range of experience to find out what you like and don’t like
problem is, you’d have to travel a long way to find a job like that - I don’t know of any such companies in Scotland
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@Bill_Toge , I have looked into that and I wouldnt mind at all travelling as saved up money to do so but the problem with trying to find a job abroad is they usually take on locals for applications.
Do you know of any such companies that are a good starting point to try to apply to?
I would like to apply to L’Oreal in the future however It is really competitive and I don’t have any background knowledge about cosmetic manufacture so would like this to strengthen my application for next year.
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there’s a couple of big firms in Bradford, one of which I used to work for, and who occasionally used to take on work experience folk in the lab
I know of a few smaller, more specialist firms in Darlington, Hull and north Manchester, but don’t know what their position is regarding temporary lab staff
if you’re interested, PM me for details
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Suzanne, I am not the best person to ask because I class myself as an amateur chemist. I started when I was 11 making weedkiller/sugar pipe bombs. Nowadays of course you have to grow a beard and read religious books to be into that… no reason not to talk to Unilever, though. And (dare I mention it) Lush?
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Are you on LinkedIn?
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OK, I asked you to connect, and I see you accepted.
I think the first thing you need to do is join the LinkedIn group Society of Cosmetic Scientists:which is primarily a UK/EU group, but has members from all over.When you can, post your internship request there.The next thing to do is to join the LinkedIn group Society of Cosmetic Chemists:which is primarily a US group, but also has members from all over.When you can, post your internship request there also.Lastly, go over to http://www.scs.org.uk/ and apply for membership, or just check on their job vacancies.The growing trend in the US is that summer work for college students has pretty much diminished to unskilled positions. Spots are still available in labs, but they are largely unpaid internships. -
Our head office is in London, UK, a bit far from Glasgow but if you’re interested, do PM me.
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Thank you that is a huge help and lots of good advice which I will definatley be using!
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