Introduction

The HELLFIRE internship programme is a first of its kind in the South African life sciences sector, and is aimed at addressing the lack of PDI management talent in this sector.  In this year’s intake, 13 hand-picked science graduates, 11 of which are PDIs and all or which have work experience, are placed within local life science firms as one-year full-time employees.  They are enrolled on a tailor-made business course run by WITS business school as well as a life skills course. Acorn Technologies subsidises 50% of all interns salaries and a 100% scholarship is provided for all studies over the year. Hellfire is sponsored by Acorn Technologies and the Godisa Trust (now SEDA Technology Programme - STP)