An industrial internship is required for all trainees except for those that have industrial experience prior to joining the training grant. Trainees typically do their internship during the second summer of their traineeship. Trainees have found internships at local companies but we have also placed students with national and international companies.

We leverage faculty contacts and our extensive alumni network to find internships. The BioTechnology Institute and its faculty have established an extensive network of contacts with a wide range of biotechnology companies. BTI and the research of many of our TG faculty members has received support from industry, including many well-known pharmaceutical, biotech, and bioengineering companies.

In our survey of current and former trainees, many ranked the industrial internships as a key component of the training grant program. Many report that it prepared them for positions in industry and some credit the experience with the networking opportunities that helped them find career placement after graduation.

Our trainees have ample opportunities to interact with industrial contacts. Members of our training faculty have strong research collaborations throughout the public and private sector. About 30% of BTI seminars (which are attended by our trainees) feature industry speakers. Several trainees participate in the Annual Meeting of the Minnesota Biotechnology Association where they present posters. The University also hosts biotechnology workshops and short courses, which trainees are encouraged to attend. The relevance of our training to industry and the quality of our trainees, however, is best illustrated by the high demand for our graduates from industry.