Disclaimer: our trainee blogs are written by trainees for trainees, offering career insights and industry perspectives.
In August I had the privilege of participating in an Intellectual Property (IP) panel session for In2STEM, a program run by In2ScienceUK. The initiative aims to introduce 16- to 19-year-olds to different careers within STEM industries through workshops and work experience opportunities. Joining a group of experienced patent professionals, I reflected on my own journey into the IP field as a trainee patent attorney. This experience highlighted the diverse pathways into this profession and the importance of sharing our stories with the next generation of STEM leaders.
I was asked to participate in the IP careers workshop alongside other panellists. The panel was a diverse selection of patent professionals including in-house patent attorneys, private practice attorneys and an IP solicitor, all of whom had a varying amount of experience in the profession. As panellists, we were asked to prepare a 5-minute talk to discuss our academic backgrounds and #JourneyIntoIP. I was the only trainee patent attorney on the panel and had entered the industry most recently. I decided to focus my talk on how I had changed careers and moved into a career in IP. I tried to convey to the students that it’s okay to change the trajectory of your career, and how it can play to your advantage by making you stand out from other candidates.
Although I knew this already, participating in the panel reaffirmed to me that there is not only one single pathway into a career in IP. I learned that some of the panellists had entered the profession immediately following university, some following the completion of a PHD, and some from an entirely different career trajectory.
Following a 5-minute talk from each panellist there was an opportunity for students to ask questions they had about both our personal and professional experiences. The Q&A session provided valuable insights into sourcing and sustaining a successful career in STEM and IP and highlighted the opportunities available to those new and existing in the industry.
In2ScienceUKexists to support young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and boost diversity and inclusion in STEM to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of science, technology, engineering and maths-based industries, and I was honoured to volunteer for them. In2ScienceUK are an important organisation with an important message, and it was an all-round great experience volunteering and experiencing such a growth opportunity. If you would like to learn more about In2ScienceUK, then please visit their website.
At Appleyard Lees, patent and trade mark attorneys, especially trainees, are encouraged to not only attend networking events and conferences, but to volunteer our time to community development causes. I’m glad that Appleyard Lees encourages this as a trainee, as it allows us to encourage more people to join the profession, and it’s a great chance to meet other patent attorneys across the UK. Volunteering for organisations like In2ScienceUK not only contributes to community development, but it is also an opportunity for trainees to improve their communication skills – an essential skill in the world of IP.
If you would like to discuss entry into the profession then a great resource is the IP careers guide. Alternatively, if you would like to hear more about the profession from a current trainee, then please get in touch via email/LinkedIn. If you have already made the decision to embark on a career in IP, then I would recommend visiting our careers page.
