Students from years 10 - 12 recently took part in an engaging and informative careers event hosted in collaboration with professionals from Sanofi, one of the world’s leading healthcare and pharmaceutical companies. The day at Sanofi headquarters in the UK provided students with valuable insight into the wide range of careers involved in developing and delivering medicines.

The event began with a warm welcome from Felicia Pinto, who introduced the aims of the day and highlighted the many opportunities available within the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors.

The morning continued with a series of expert talks from professionals working across different areas of the company. Walaa Mostafa, Chief Financial Officer for UK & Ireland, opened the presentations with an overview of the role finance plays within a global healthcare organisation.

Students then heard from Tanisha Patel, who provided a quality overview and explained how strict standards and processes ensure medicines are safe and effective. John Forni followed with a medical overview, discussing how scientific research and clinical expertise contribute to the development of new treatments.

Further insight was given by Hadjer Ameur, who introduced pharmacovigilance and the vital work involved in monitoring the safety of medicines once they are in use. Ciaran Campbell then delivered a commercial overview, explaining how medicines are brought to market and reach healthcare providers and patients. This was followed by Deepika Malhotra, who spoke about medicines communication and the importance of sharing clear, accurate information about treatments.

After lunch, students attended a session on regulatory affairs led by Prathyusha Kancharla and Francesca Pipkin, who explained how medicines are carefully assessed and approved before they can be used by patients.

In the afternoon, students took part in interactive sessions tailored to their year groups. Year 10 and year 11 students participated in “colourful connections”, an engaging workshop led by Dan Winfield that focused on teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills. Meanwhile, year 12 students attended “pathway to progress”, a session exploring regulatory affairs, student placements and possible career pathways within the pharmaceutical industry.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Prathyusha Kancharla, who encouraged students to continue exploring opportunities within science, healthcare and industry.

The day provided a fantastic opportunity for students to learn directly from industry professionals and gain a deeper understanding of the many career pathways available within the pharmaceutical sector. We are extremely grateful to the team at Sanofi for sharing their expertise and inspiring the next generation of scientists and healthcare professionals.