On September 28-29, 2022, PhRMA hosted the second annual Pathways to Success: Virtual Graduate Summit and Career Expo. This event provided a unique opportunity for students and faculty from diverse backgrounds to engage with biopharma recruiters and employees. For the second year in a row, our attendees discovered career opportunities and built connections in the biopharma industry, all while learning valuable knowledge from mentors and thought leaders.
The Pathways to Success Summit is ultimately about sparking conversations that can open career pathways — and this year, there were a lot of those conversations. We welcomed more than 600 attendees representing 224 schools from across the country. Attendees explored 15 virtual booths with industry experts, 14 company breakout rooms, and 3 expert panels to learn about career pathways in the pharmaceutical industry.
Day 1 featured a full afternoon of stimulating content, capped off by the keynote session, “Building Your Biopharma Brand in the Digital Era,” featuring Stephen J. Ubl, Quita Highsmith, and Anahita Vieira. On Day 2, the connection-building kicked into high gear, as attendees explored the virtual exhibition hall and met directly with representatives from pharmaceutical companies.
The Summit was time well spent for both attendees and PhRMA member companies, with more than 360 attendee resumes being distributed to member companies. In only its second year, the Summit is already solidifying its reputation as a place where the biopharmaceutical industry can tap into an incredible pipeline of diverse talent.
The Pathways to Success Summit is part of PhRMA’s Equity Initiative, which is helping to drive industry-wide efforts to build a representative workforce in the biopharmaceutical industry. PhRMA’s member companies are taking a leadership role to drive real change. Keith Middleton, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging at Novo Nordisk and Pathways to Success featured speaker, put it this way: “At the core of it, when we unlock those opportunities, we’re creating better pathways and better outcomes for the communities that we serve and the patients on our medications.”
Learn more about our Equity Initiative at PHRMA.org/Equity.