According to the jobs website Glassdoor, more than 70% of large and almost 50% of smaller UK companies suffer from skills shortages. Thankfully, there is a whole generation of early career hires- mainly Gen Z- ready to learn and be trained to meet a company’s needs.
Illumina’s Early Talent positions range from an industry-leading internship program (covering 12 week and 12 months internships), graduate opportunities, work experience, apprenticeships and entry-level roles into the business.
Last July, Illumina welcomed 32 new interns to their Granta Park site, which combines state-of-the-art lab facilities with modern office space. The company forecasts an intake of over 50 for 2022. Whilst the Illumina internship program largely attracts university students, the company accepts talent from a whole variety of educational backgrounds.
Apprenticeship positions are available to school or college leavers and, in some cases, are offered to those as young as 16. Illumina offers apprentices the chance to gain invaluable training from experts in their field, while also funding their education. Apprentices can earn bachelor's degrees as they work and gain practical experience. In addition to this, all Early Talent hires are provided networking and CV writing sessions, as well as opportunities to meet with industry leaders.
"Illumina is passionate about diversity in our Early Talent. When recruiting, we’re not looking for candidates to have a plethora of work experience or all of the necessary skills. Those things are teachable. We know that Early Talent helps to define your company culture for years to come, so for us it’s all about a sense of adventure, a desire to learn, and finding the people who align with our mission” say Jo Lee, Talent Acquisition Senior Manager at Illumina.
“This is a hugely exciting time to join Illumina, a time of rapid growth and important developments. There are many new early career opportunities available across multiple business functions and disciplines for people to find their niche within the Illumina team,” continued Lee.
Ella Valentine, Purchasing Agent at Illumina and 2021 Durham University graduate describes her experience at Illumina: "I joined in a temporary graduate position in July with little experience in Supply Chain and just five months later was offered a permanent position." With the guidance and support of my team, I quickly became comfortable in my role and was able to take on my own projects. I never would have imagined that less than a year after graduating I would feel so positive about the direction my career is headed in. It makes me really excited for my future at Illumina".
Learn more about life at Illumina at https://emea.illumina.com/company/careers/illumina-careers/interns.html.