Page 18 - Biotech Career Guide

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18
What
To Do
Now
T he world-changing potential
of biotechnology makes it
an exciting career option for
students with all kinds of interests.
Maybe the opportunities for scien-
tific discovery grab your attention.
You might want to be part of things
on the cutting edge of new technol-
ogies. Or perhaps it is the chance
to help solve global challenges like
clean energy, food insecurity,
emerging diseases, or sustainable
manufacturing.
Whatever your reasons, you can
do things now to put yourself on the
path to a career in biotechnology.
Start with education of some kind
in both biology and technology.
Look into summer camps and other
hands-on opportunities — as the
next article describes in more detail.
But the field draws on learning in a
wide range of subjects. You can
pursue other areas of interest with
confidence that a diverse set of
skills and experiences will lead you
to the place in the field that is right
for you.
get started: HIGH SCHOOL
1. Take a full load of courses across all subjects.
Science and math are primary – challenge yourself with higher-level
courses in these areas. But biotechnology professionals need to
communicate, reason, work together, and understand larger social
issues. Keep up with your English, history, and social studies, and
consider electives like economics or business, if offered.
2. Dig into
“dual-credit” options.
Some community colleges
offer courses in biotech to
students as young as 9th
grade. And they count as
both high school and college
credits! If local schools don’t
offer dual-credit, look into
online options, too.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY SHAW NIELSEN