The Emerging Leaders Network (ELN), a division of Georgia Bio consisting of students, postdoctoral fellows, and young professionals, has been instrumental in my personal and professional development during my graduate career, including introducing me to the intern program at OTT. ELN was established to provide resources and networking opportunities for students and early career professionals in an effort to retain locally educated talent. Specifically, ELN aids in initiating connections with seasoned professionals, making introductions to local companies in the biosciences, and providing educational opportunities for professional development. Since I became involved with ELN, I have learned a tremendous amount about my career interests and personal strengths through participation in ELN’s programming.
There are several regular programs offered by ELN:
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Social networking events – mainly in the form of happy hours. ELN’s social events provide a great way to meet other young professionals in a casual environment.
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Small dinner series – a seasoned professional and leader in their field is invited to have dinner at a local restaurant with 8-10 attendees. The small dinners allow attendees to learn about a particular career field in depth and form authentic connections with the speaker and other attendees.
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Educational events – these events can have various formats and topics can include networking basics, resume workshops, how to conduct a quality interview, and others related to professional development.
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Industry tours – Guided tours led by professionals through a local industry facility.
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First contact – ELN provides introductions to seasoned professionals in a variety of fields to set up 1-on-1 informational interviews.
In addition, because the bioscience industry is constantly changing, ELN regularly reevaluates its programming to ensure we are serving the needs of young professionals as they navigate their careers. ELN supplements my training at OTT by allowing me to be further engaged with the local bioscience community and participate in events geared towards other young professionals in the biosciences. Previous OTT interns and interns during my tenure in the internship program have served with me on the ELN board and attended many of ELN’s programs. ELN has helped me get connected and get a jump start on enhancing skills for career success. I encourage all early career professionals to get involved with ELN. For more information, visit www.gabio.org/eln or email eln [at] gabio [dot] org.