7 February 2023

Careers fair for technology students in Uppsala. Big Science Sweden was there.

Where are tomorrow’s exciting job and career opportunities in the technology field? Ernesto Gutiérrez, representing the Outreach programme at Big Science Sweden, gave some interesting suggestions at Uppsala University’s MarKQnadsdax, a careers fair for students on various technology programmes.

Felix Nordgren and Wilhelm Håkansson are studying materials engineering, and were enthusiastic about applying for the CERN programme. “It would fulfil a childhood dream to work at CERN, so this is a great opportunity.”

Many of the 200+ participants made a point of visiting the Big Science Sweden stand, curious about careers in Big Science. Before the event, most of them were unaware of the range of career opportunities available.

Technical Student Programme at CERN – launch pad for a career in Big Science

One immediate example is CERN’s Technical Student Programme. Undergraduates or postgraduate students can apply for paid positions at CERN for 4-12 months, working on projects in a technical group relevant to their field of study.

This proved particularly popular, and visitors to the stand were full of questions. What do they do at CERN? Which educational programmes are relevant? What can students do at CERN? How do I apply? Am I qualified for this programme?

<p>Frida Tallqvist and Tora Bratt are in the 4th year of the Biotechnology programme. They were unsure about whether their programme was relevant in Big Science. “It would be fantastic to do something like this at CERN,” they said after their visit.</p>

Frida Tallqvist and Tora Bratt are in the 4th year of the Biotechnology programme. They were unsure about whether their programme was relevant in Big Science. “It would be fantastic to do something like this at CERN,” they said after their visit.

“Outreach is an important area of our work at Big Science Sweden," explained Ernesto Gutiérrez from Big Science Sweden. "Our aim is to see more Swedes in different roles at the big research facilities.”

<p>Ernesto Gutiérrez from Big Science Sweden wants to reach out to as many students and postgraduate researchers as possible, to demonstrate concrete opportunities for exciting career choices.</p>

Ernesto Gutiérrez from Big Science Sweden wants to reach out to as many students and postgraduate researchers as possible, to demonstrate concrete opportunities for exciting career choices.