Industry impact: meet Labcorp
Event attended: Go Higher in Health and Social Care
Note: The Go Higher Industry Insight programme is a series of subject specific events, aiming to provide secondary school learners with high quality, meaningful experiences of industry, relevant employers, careers and higher education (HE) opportunities.
Labcorp are a “global life sciences and healthcare company harnessing science for human good”*, with sites in North Yorkshire. Callum, a representative from the company, attended the ‘Go Higher in Health and Social Care’ event.
Callum notes that the drug development industry may typically be perceived as unattainable by learners from underrepresented backgrounds, requiring those with the highest academic attainment and ability. The organisation is keen to challenge this as a misconception of the industry.
“Diversity is viewed as absolutely critical for Labcorp’s future successes.”
Callum describes the value of having employees from a wide range of backgrounds as well as the strengths and skills they can bring to the workplace.
“[We focus on] bringing people in that fit our personality and culture, more than simply having a high academic ability.”
At ‘Go Higher in Health and Social Care’, Callum was able to talk to several students about their prospects and their impressions of the drug development industry. This helped him to identify misconceptions about the industry to take back to the organisation and work on breaking down.
“I have a growing understanding of how we can perhaps [break down these barriers]. The interactive nature of this event was much more conducive in bringing students over to us and engaging with us. Interaction at this level helped us break down some of those barriers and hopefully students realise the options they have for future careers are wider than they perhaps first thought.”