Our ongoing “Meet Me in 5” series covers 5 people, topics or questions to illustrate how Covance nurtures exceptional people, provides an energizing purpose and enables extraordinary potential in its employees’ careers.
In this article, we spoke to Rebecca Verhulst, Associate Director, Global University Relations, to learn the history of the internship program at Covance, its value to the business and what the program means for interns looking to gain exposure in a global organization.
1. Beyond the books: Expanding opportunities for STEM+H students
Covance实习计划成立10年ago for STEM+H (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics + Healthcare) students to expand their knowledge beyond campus and experience hands-on work and explore their career potential within a global contract research organization (CRO).
“Our program represents an opportunity to learn the industry and explore career options,” explained Rebecca. “Supporting day-to-day activities in drug development and clinical research is not something that is covered in standard chemistry or biology textbooks. Students need exposure to this field to understand the potential job roles. The Covance Internship Program helps cultivate careers in the STEM+H field.”
2. A hands-on experience for interns
在完成欢迎讲习班并迎接其团队后，Covance实习生与导师匹配并分配了部门项目。该项目是各部门内的实际业务优先事项。学生，部门和项目团队都受益于一套新鲜的眼睛，新想法和渴望实习生，以帮助获得完成的工作。
“In addition to project work, Covance interns are typically assigned 2-3 tasks within the department. This gives the student exposure to what a ‘day in the life’ is like in key job roles at Covance. It also frees up some of our more experienced, tenured staff to focus on more complex client work,” said Rebecca.
“At the end of their program, each intern is required to deliver a presentation to their department leadership. Some have even developed a scientific poster and presented at conferences, their universities and student clubs. It’s a true learning experience. Furthermore, this gives Covance and our intern program great external exposure and brand recognition.”
3. Recognizing the value provided by interns
景interns aren’t the only ones that learn new skills. Their mentors are also fine-tuning their coaching skills and developing management skills as they introduce their mentees to the business and help them explore career paths.
实习生也有价值，以帮助推进药物发展。“我喜欢实习生提供新的观点，”丽贝卡说。“我们的业务总是对新想法和实习生有兴趣，使用完全不同的镜头进入我们的程序。他们订婚了，提出了良好的问题，提供有洞察力的想法，经常挑战我们工作的方式。因此，我们的项目有一些非常创新的结果。“
4. Insider advice for applying to internships
While the Covance internship program can be very competitive, Rebecca provided some advice for interested candidates.
“When reviewing applications, we consider a number of factors,” she said. “We are most interested in well-rounded candidates, who demonstrate innovation, an appetite for continuous learning and extracurricular activities and part-time work experience.”
“For example, if you were in a business competition or debate club, you probably are good at considering multiple factors in decision making and ‘thinking on your feet.’ Or if you worked at a fast food restaurant or the supply closet in a chemistry department, this type of experience shows us that you can balance multiple tasks and can thrive in our fast-paced work environment at Covance.”
5.建立全球领导人的人才管道
Accepting interns from around the world every year, the Covance Internship Program attracts high-achieving students from dozens of top-tier universities. On average, about half of the interns return to Covance as full-time employees after graduation, attesting to the success of the program’s meaningful experience and business impact.
“We go beyond providing interns with a job,” explained Rebecca. “We focus on meaningful work experiences, exposure, professional development and developing our future talent pipeline. Our program is training the future leaders of our organization.”
Learn more about the unique opportunities available for internships in the US, UK and Asia-Pacific region on ourcareers website.
