I am a Biomedical Sciences student at the University of York, currently doing a Year in Industry at the BDC and BioVale. A Year in Industry is one year where you work full time for a company, and it normally takes place one year before the final year of your degree. I am doing the year in industry on my third year, so next year I will be returning to university for my final year of study.
Since I was applying for university back in 2020, I knew that I would also be applying for the year in industry scheme, as I knew that it would not only give me a better idea of what the job landscape looks like but would also equip me with valuable transferable skills.
I got to learn about the BDC and BioVale through one of my lecturers for the Bioenterprise module at university, James Stockdale. He owns a business and I reached to him because I was very interested in the intersection between Biology and Enterprise. James introduced me to Chris Hiscocks, who is my current manager here at BioVale. The BDC and BioVale seemed to be the perfect environment for me; I could gain entrepreneurial skills within BioVale, as well as improve my scientific and technical skills while helping in the laboratory as part of the BIT team.
During my placement with BioVale, some of the work I was involved with include carrying out desk-based research, writing up reports for bioenterprises giving them advice on how to make the most out of their resources, and designing promotional graphics to post on social media. I also had the opportunity to gain some lab experience on protein testing where I learned different techniques that I had not used before.
Thanks to this experience I now have a broader image of the possibilities that are available to me as a Biomedical Sciences graduate, and I have built my skills profile on the entrepreneurial side of Biology, an area which is new to me. After I finish my studies, I know I want to take on a similar role, helping bio-based companies grow by supporting them and giving them professional scientific advice.
Emma Espino Tadeo
Bioscience Entrepreneurship Intern, BioVale
