New initiative at Concordia University helps graduate students succeed in Montreal
Media invited to meet participants in the GradProSkills program
Montreal, January 23, 2012 - The Montreal region is Canada’s university capital, ranked first in the number of university diplomas awarded at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Now, graduate students at Concordia University have a new tool to help them remain in Montreal and join the workforce once they’ve completed their degrees: the GradProSkills program.
This initiative, launched in August 2011, helps graduate students and post-doctoral fellows make an effective transition from academia to the workforce. The program has been a resounding success, attracting more than 3,600 participants with another 350 interested graduate students on a waiting list.
Concordia is the only Canadian university to offer French language training as part of this type of skills enhancement package. GradProSkills offers workshops on how to plan and manage projects, be entrepreneurial, understand and apply ethical practices, work effectively as leaders and in teams, and develop a valuable curriculum vitae. The program is led by Concordia’s School of Graduate Studies in partnership with 19 other university departments or services.
“This is one of the ways that Concordia enriches the graduate student and postdoctoral experience by providing opportunities to develop skills that complement discipline-based training,” says Graham Carr, Dean of Graduate Studies and Interim Vice-President, Research and Graduate Studies. “Whether their preference is to work in industry, academia, the public, not-for-profit or cultural sectors, GradProSkills helps prepare highly qualified personnel to move into the workforce in Montreal, in Quebec and elsewhere in the world.'
Over the Fall term, more than 190 graduate and post-doctoral fellows signed up for French language training courses, including classes in advanced French and business French. This year, GradProSkills will organize career networking events and offer a series of online resources, including webinars.
On Friday, January 27, members of the media are invited to meet program participants and hear testimonials about why they want to remain in Montreal after graduation and how GradProSkills is helping them attain that goal.
When: Friday, January 27 – 2 p.m.
Where: J.A. De Sève Cinema, J.W. McConnell Building, Concordia University
1400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West, Montreal
With more than 6,000 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, Concordia University embodies the vibrancy and cosmopolitanism of Montreal, a city that is known as a hub for research, learning and innovation.
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Source:
Fiona Downey
Media Relations Advisor
Concordia University Media Relations
Phone: 514-848-2424, ext. 2518
Cell: 514-518-3336
Fax: 514-848-3383
Email: fdowney@alcor.concordia.ca
