Edited by: Tvesa Shah
Author’s Note: The following article reflects one student’s co-op experience and includes insights from an interview with an industry professional. The views and opinions expressed by the interviewee are their own and do not necessarily represent those of Thermo Fisher Scientific. This interview has been edited lightly for clarity and readability.
Growing up in Canada, many students become familiar with the term ‘co-op’ quite early on in their educational trajectory. However, for an international student flying nearly 12,000 kilometers in pursuit of higher education, the story was a little bit out of the ordinary. While looking into various undergrad programs, I repeatedly came across the term ‘co-op.’
A simple Google search provided me with the most straightforward definition – ‘Cooperative education program, or co-op in short, allows students to gain practical work experience through paid work terms.’ And sure enough, that brief explanation was enough to convince me and as such, I purposefully decided to enroll into a program that included a mandatory co-op component.
Following the completion of my finals for the Winter 2025 semester, I was fortunate enough to secure a position as an LES Project Assistant at Thermo Fisher Scientific. Over the course of my 12-month placement, I had the opportunity to work closely with my manager, Grant Crowe, Senior Manager for Pharmaceutical Laboratory Digitization and Automation. Grant’s career path embodies that certain kind of professional versatility that many students aspire to achieve.
Beginning at the company as an Instrumentation Chemist a little over two decades ago, he has progressed through a variety of technical and leadership roles, including diverse positions in metrology, analytical operations, quality management and laboratory digitization and automation.
As such, I decided to pick his brain before my co-op term drew to a close. He was gracious enough to impart the lessons that helped shape his career and provide insight on things he wished he had known earlier.
What follows is a conversation that I believe every student preparing to enter the workforce can learn from.
Interview conducted on the 28th of April, 2026.
Nusaiba Yasin: You’ve worked as a chemist, metrologist and across various departments such as quality, lab operations, and now digitization—what motivated those transitions?
Grant Crowe: I would say curiosity and a desire to keep learning. I’ve always been motivated to take on new and challenging problems, even if I didn’t have prior experience in that specific area. Early on, during my time doing benchwork at Eli Lilly working on antibiotics and suspensions, I began to take on responsibilities beyond the lab, including project management. Even without much experience, I was willing to step in, learn on the job, and figure things out.
Many of my transitions came from a combination of personal curiosity and evolving business needs. When new challenges or opportunities arose, my mindset was always, “I may not know how to solve this yet, but I’m willing to learn.” That willingness to step outside my comfort zone and build context on the job helped me move across different functions.
NY: Looking back on your career, what skill or mindset has become far more important than you initially expected?
GC: One of the biggest skills that’s become increasingly important over time is communication. Early in my career, I was focused primarily on technical work, but as I took on broader responsibilities, I realized how critical communication is to overall success.
Working across different functions showed me that gaps in communication between departments can often become the weakest link—but they’re also the biggest opportunity for improvement. Being able to clearly communicate ideas, align teams, and bridge those gaps have become just as important as any technical skill.
NY: How do you approach decision making when there is no clear “right’’ answer?
GC: I start by making sure I fully understand the scope of the problem and the desired objective, while defining the boundaries we’re working within upfront. You see, decision making when you’re working in a technical role is significantly different than the ones you’re making while in a managerial role. For technical roles, you must focus on gathering all the relevant information, analyze your findings, and then use that to guide your decision in obtaining the desired outcome.
However, from a managerial point of view, you will never have complete information. Yet, you have to allot yourself a deadline – say, I’m gonna make a decision on this in the next two hours – and go with your gut feeling. In those cases, experience and technical intuition play an important role. It’s about combining data with informed judgment, recognizing that you won’t know everything, and still be able to move forward with confidence.
Let’s shift our focus into the pharmaceutical industry and future of pharma now for a bit….
NY: As pharmaceutical labs become more automated and data-driven, how do you see the role of scientists evolving in the next decade?
GC: I think the scope of responsibility for scientists is going to increase significantly. As tools become more powerful and accessible, scientists will have the ability to do more—but that also comes with greater accountability.
With better data and technology at their disposal, there will be an expectation to ask more complex questions and make more informed decisions. Overall, the role will broaden, with individuals taking on more responsibility and ownership in how they use these tools to drive outcomes.
NY: What trends in the industry do you think students should be paying attention to while they are looking for jobs?
GC: That’s a fascinating question. One of the biggest trends is the shift toward more multidisciplinary roles. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to stay in just one lane and expect long-term success—there’s a growing need to combine different skill sets and interests.
Students should also be prepared for change. Career paths are no longer linear, and being adaptable is key. At the same time, the industry is becoming more competitive, often with competing or even contradictory priorities. Being able to navigate that complexity while continuing to build a diverse skill set will be important in moving forward.
NY: I’d like to switch gears and ask a few questions from a co-op student’s perspective, if that’s alright?
GC: Yeah, all good. Go ahead.
NY: From your perspective, what separates a good co-op student from a great one?
GC: A good co-op student is someone who can consistently follow instructions and complete assigned tasks effectively. A great co-op student, however, goes beyond that—they look past the task itself and think about how to contribute to the broader solution, often bringing forward their own ideas, even if that sounds completely unfair.
Another key difference is the ability to integrate information from multiple, sometimes competing, sources and form a clear perspective. Great students are also aware of their own blind spots and stay open to learning new approaches. They actively work to deepen and enrich their understanding, while also striving to simplify complex problems and identify what might be missing.
NY: How can students better prepare for the realities of the workplace?
GC: Academics are important—they open the door—but real learning begins once you enter the workplace. One of the biggest shifts students need to understand is that, in a business environment, work is ultimately tied to delivering value. Time, effort, and energy are directed toward outcomes that matter to the organization and its customers.
That’s a different mindset from school, where learning can sometimes feel more exploratory. In the workplace, there’s a stronger focus on impact and accountability. Understanding that early on can help students adjust more quickly and approach their work with the right perspective.
NY: Right, a couple more questions to wrap up…
NY: What keeps you excited about your work in this field today?
GC: What keeps me excited is the pace of change and the opportunity to solve tough problems. The work can be demanding, but there’s a real sense of gratification that comes from working through complex challenges and seeing the impact of those solutions. That combination of constant evolution and problem-solving is what makes the field engaging and keeps me motivated.
NY: Is there a piece of advice you received early on that you still think about today?
GC: Be hard on the problem, but kind to the people. The idea is that everyone is doing their best, and when something doesn’t work out, it’s usually because something is missing in the recipe—not because of the people involved.
It’s important to put energy into solving the problem and pushing for better outcomes, while still treating others with respect and understanding. That mindset has really shaped how I approach both challenges and teamwork.
NY: If someone were to step into your role tomorrow, what would you tell them on day one?
GC: Invest in the talent of your people. Success is always a group effort, and understanding the strengths and aspirations of your team is critical. It’s important to find ways to unlock people’s enthusiasm and put them in positions where they can truly thrive. When individuals are aligned with the right roles and feel supported, that’s when teams perform at their best.
NY: Thank you very much for your time.
GC: You’re very welcome.
One of the most valuable aspects of a co-op experience is the opportunity to learn from professionals whose careers have evolved far beyond a single job title. As students, we often focus on building technical expertise. While those skills remain important, Grant’s experiences highlight that long-term career growth depends just as much on continuous learning, collaboration, and the ability to navigate uncertainty if not more.