Seizing Opportunities for Professional Development: My Internship with SUEZ in France

To broaden and develop the professional skills of our team members and widen their scientific network and cultural experiences, the BRT encourages its students to embark on internships. These internships are connected to their scientific journey and enable them to have hands-on, practical and in-field experiences, which are critical to their future careers. The internships help to hone their communication, time management, teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership skills, all of which are highly valued assets in young scientists.

Our PhD student, Antoine Bercy, shares insights from his internship experience at SUEZ in France.

Enjoy reading as he takes you on his internship journey!

I am Antoine Bercy, a PhD student within the Biogas Research Team of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences at the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. I have always been fascinated by waste management, and specifically the idea of transforming it into something useful. That’s why choosing anaerobic digestion as a research topic was a natural fit for me. I believe disseminating this technology to contribute to a sustainable future is important. Therefore, to further my experience, I had the chance to go on a 6-month long internship at SUEZ, a company specializing in waste management in Narbonne, France.  

Bridging private and public research

Working in the SUEZ Bioressourcelab, allowed me to hone my skills in the field, working with a variety of different equipment, on projects with practical and immediate applications. This environment was also an invaluable experience to learn about the difference in operation between academic and private research groups, as the objectives and required outputs can differ. For example, I learned there is a strong emphasis on the viability of new ideas in private research groups, a factor often overlooked in public research.

Making the best of the experience

This internship was also a great way to have the opportunity to travel and learn from a different work culture environment. This lab is situated in Narbonne in the south-west corner of France, and thus also gave me the chance to enjoy the local landscape. The area was especially great for hiking, an activity I enjoyed doing with my colleagues every weekend. There were many options to choose from, such as the Massif de la Clape, the Pyrenees, and small villages like Minerve (recognised as one of the most beautiful of France). The south of France is also full of picturesque cities to visit such as Avignon, or Nimes.

Always look for opportunities

Reflecting on when I applied for this position, I realize that I only managed to get this internship by looking for opportunities to further my experience online. I just happened to find this one by chance and immediately applied just in case, not really expecting anything. Fortunately, they liked my profile and accepted me! This is a great reminder to not be scared and try to grab any opportunity you find; you have nothing to lose. Other than offering me the opportunity to live in a beautiful region for a couple of months, this internship helped me professionally. I learned from the unit’s highly qualified researchers, and now have contacts for future cooperations!

Stay tuned for more exciting BRT internship journeys from all over the world!