Tara’s Sterling internship

Tara is a Human Resources Intern at Sterling’s Cork facility, and currently a third-year student of Business at Munster Technological University in Cork.

Read below as we find out more about her experience as an intern at Sterling, what she has learnt, and her future career plans after graduation.

Can you tell us about your background and education?

I am currently a third-year student at Munster Technological University in Cork, completing a bachelor’s degree in business. I became interested in a career in human resources as I have always enjoyed working and connecting with people, as well as completing HR modules during my studies which has spurred my interest. As part of my course, I have the opportunity to complete a fifteen-week work placement, which is how I came into my current role in the HR department at Sterling’s Cork site.

What does your internship involve?

My internship has provided me with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience alongside my course. My role involves admin, file management and departmental organisation. At present, the main task I am working on is related to job descriptions; each employee needs to have one on file for their role. It can be quite a long process, but I have enjoyed it as it’s given me the chance to get to know people across the site whilst working on this.

Can you tell us about any exciting projects you have worked on?

A recent project I have supported is the Transition Year program on site. This entails students from local secondary schools coming to the site to spend a week learning about how different departments operate. It was my responsibility to ensure the students gained a full overview of the site and what we do, through a range of engaging activities. This program gave students the opportunity to experience what it is like to work in the pharmaceutical industry and get a taste for what happens across a variety of role and departments.

Would you recommend an internship with Sterling and why?

I would definitely recommend an internship with Sterling. I have appreciated gaining hands-on experience in HR as I hope to work within this sector after completing my fourth year at university. Getting to know employees across a variety of departments is something I have enjoyed. I found collaborating with people from different backgrounds and areas of expertise very interesting and it has been a new, welcomed experience that differs from the norms of university life.

My internship has allowed me to develop key communication skills and confidence, as well as experience using HR systems. I believe the skills I have attained during my time at Sterling will benefit me throughout my future career.

Keep an eye on our vacancies page for any upcoming internship opportunities.