News Pick
The Power of Industry Exposure: How Internships Shape STEM Careers
Real-world experience gives young science professionals the skills and confidence to thrive in a
fast-changing industry
For students pursuing STEM fields — whether biotechnology, clinical research, engineering or medical device development — the shift from classroom learning to workplace application is a milestone that shapes their career journey. This transformation often begins with one crucial step: internships. By giving students a taste of real-world challenges, internships bridge the gap between theory and practice in ways textbooks simply can’t.
Why Industry Exposure Matters Early
Scientific knowledge grows stronger when used in practical situations. Internships help students understand:
- how research translates into products
- how teams work within laboratories and quality units
- how safety, ethics and regulations guide every experiment
In fields like clinical research and medical devices, this exposure becomes even more important. Students learn how products are tested, certified, and made compliant with global standards.
Learning From Real Work, Not Just Assignments
Internships provide opportunities to tackle hands-on tasks — analysing data, contributing to documentation, and observing clinical workflows. This builds confidence and helps students discover which specialisations excite them most.
Sharing from her own experience, Manisha Chauhan, alumna of Apeejay Stya University and now a Quality Assurance Specialist in the MedTech industry, says, “The placement cell helped me get my internship from Sun Pharma and from the QNQ Design and Development.”
Such industry exposure allowed her to understand how regulatory systems like Quality Management Standards (QMS) and ISO 13485 are applied in real time.
Reinforcing Classroom Learning
Internships often enhance the value of academic programmes. What students study — Biostatistics, Data Management, Quality Assurance — suddenly feels meaningful when used in laboratories and industry projects.
It also gives them a clearer picture of what upskilling or certifications they may want to pursue next.
The Result: Industry-Ready STEM Professionals
Industry exposure equips students with much more than technical skills — it prepares them for real careers that demand teamwork, responsibility and precision. As sectors like healthcare technology and clinical research grow rapidly in India, organisations are looking for young talent who already understand workplace expectations.
For STEM students dreaming of contributing to life-saving innovations, internships are not just recommended — they are essential. The earlier they step into industry spaces, the sooner they discover their strengths, passions and future pathways.
