Eric gained valuable hands-on experience through his co-op at Johnson & Johnson 鈥 which was extended two times over the next year and a half.
Why Eric chose Rider
Eric, who transferred to Rider from a local community college, first came to campus for a Fall Open House. The depth of the courses offered to information systems majors 鈥 especially data mining 鈥 surprised him. 鈥淎fter talking to the professors and learning more about the program, I felt that it was a really good fit.鈥
Rider did so much for me. I learned the ins and outs of information systems and gained a solid foundation in accounting, finance and general business.
Analyst, Johnson & Johnson IT Leadership Development Program (ITLDP)
Rider's impact on Eric's career
In January 2015, Eric landed a paid, six-month digital technologist co-op at Johnson & Johnson. The co-op was extended full-time through the summer and on a part-time basis through his senior year. During his initial co-op, he worked as an intermediary between marketers and web developers, using skills gained in a public speaking class along with knowledge gained from his various Information Systems course at Rider. As time progressed and he finished his first co-op, Eric eventually moved to a heavily data-focused role, which allowed for a more diverse technical experience.
鈥淚t was a phenomenal experience. It gave me a good look at the world of business. I developed technical skills and business acumen, and also became familiar with the infrastructure and environment of Johnson & Johnson as an organization.鈥
Continued success
In August 2015, Eric applied for Johnson & Johnson鈥檚 Information Technology Leadership Development Program 鈥 a highly competitive program and an entree into the company. After a lengthy, multi-stage interview process, he was accepted into the Johnson & Johnson Class of 2016 ITLD.
鈥淚 was thrilled to receive a phone call with an offer into the ITLDP program, and to have a job locked down before I graduated,鈥 says Eric.