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Interview
with Ron Manger, Ph.D. “I became aware of Shoreline Community
College’s Biotechnology Specialist program when I worked for the
FDA. I hired one of their interns and I was very impressed. She hit the
ground running, even though hers was a non-paid position. She came into
the lab and knew how to perform the basic requirements and could be given
a project almost immediately. She now holds a research position in one
of our research labs. “All of the interns I’ve hired have been highly motivated and quite successful. The two-year biotechnology programs prepare them with the basic skill set such as knowing standard pipetting, how to calculate and make solutions, using good lab techniques, and familiarity with basic lab operations and methodologies. They come in with a broad-based background. “Shoreline’s courses are primarily in the evenings, so working people can take advantage of that and progress through the program, plus there has been and continues to be good leadership to ensure the relevancy of the program. “We’ve had great interns, some of whom weren’t hired permanently here, but they landed positions with other local industry organizations. Fred Hutchinson also offers summer internships, which are offered more as an introductory program for high school and college students. “Some of the interns we’ve hired have had basic skills that, surprisingly, may not be present in other job candidates, such as knowing how to make a percent solution, knowing what a molar is (common nomenclature based on formula weight used in making solutions) and how to make a serial dilution. Some four-year graduates may not be as well trained in how to use balances, or simple conversions such as micro liters, milliliters and liters. “Internships are another mechanism for employers to ‘take a look’ at potential employees. When I hire someone coming from a two-year certification program, I expect to train them for a few years as they learn on the job. The internship allows a test period which could lead to hiring that person when it works well. “The individuals we hire as interns must have a certain maturity in the market rather than having a sense of entitlement. If we’re going to invest in a new person, we employers need to get the benefit of the new person’s dedication and equal investment in the long term. “But employers should consider (for a minimal expenditure and commitment) hiring more interns. It’s a very convenient way to test someone for a possibly really good payoff. I’m not going to put a new person in a high risk role; however, we do a lot of cleaning in this lab, so the new person starting in the field needs to have a good attitude about doing such work, even more than having extensive technical training. After a couple of months of working with this person, we can tell if we’d want to invest more based on his or her personality and compatibility.” |
