Next week, the first 2017 CERN openlab summer students will arrive at the laboratory. For the 37 students selected, a summer of enriching work — with fascinating lectures, exciting trips, and hands-on experience with the latest ICT hardware and software — awaits.

CERN openlab has been running its summer student programme for 15 years. During this time, roughly 300 students from across the globe have come to CERN to spend the summer working on cutting-edge ICT projects. Aided by the skills and knowledge developed during their summer at CERN, many of our student alumni go on to exciting careers in the ICT industry. Some of our students also return to CERN, in roles that may or may not be directly related to the projects they carried out over summer.

Our 2016 summer students enjoyed their time at CERN so much that nine of them are already back working at the laboratory. “The summer student programme is a great introduction to life at CERN. It really gives you an insight into the wide range of roles that exist and how you could participate,” says Kristina Satara from Serbia, who has returned to CERN to work in the controls group

“I realised that, even in the limited nine-week period we spent at CERN, it is really possible to develop something that will be put to use at the laboratory,” says Emil Kleszcz from Poland Kleszcz, who is now working on asset management and maintenance in the Engineering Department, continues.

“As a summer student, you get to work with — and learn from — leading ICT experts,” says Ahmad Hesam from the Netherlands, who has returned to CERN to work on a project called BioDynaMo. “CERN is a place where you’re surrounded by knowledge and expertise; there’s no limit to how much you can learn.”

As well as developing their technical skills in a challenging research environment, the CERN openlab summer students are able to pick up new ‘soft skills’ that can be of great use in their future careers — at CERN and beyond. For many, it is their first time working in such a large, international context.

Thus, if you’re a student aspiring to a career in ICT, the CERN openlab Summer Student Programme is the place for you. It can help you to gain unique experience and develop key skills that could be vital to launching your career — at CERN, with one of our collaborators, or beyond!

More information about the CERN openlab Summer Student Programme  is available on the CERN openlab website. Read the original, longer version of this article here.