PhD Career Connect

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PhD Career Connect 2026

The fifth iteration of PhD Career Connect will begin in April 2026, and will end with a networking event on June 11, providing students, employers and mentors an opportunity to connect and exchange.

If you would like to join the waitlist for PhD Career Connect 2026, please complete the registration form in the student guide.

Student guide | Mentor guide

The model

PhD Career Connect selects a multidisciplinary cohort of PhD candidates, recent graduates and postdocs to participate in weekly career development workshops and a final networking event that offers the opportunity to learn about diverse careers outside of academia and expand their professional network.

PhD Career Connect was modelled after the award-winning graduate training program titled Accelerate to Industry (A2I) which originated from North Carolina State University.

Program highlights

Explore careers

Discover diverse career possibilities beyond the traditional academic career path

Professional development

Enhance and refine your professional and job readiness skills

Identify skills

Explore skills and strengths by applying theoretical and practical knowledge

Networking

Take advantage of opportunities to build a professional network

Testimonials

Azfar Adib, PhD Career Connect Participant 2023

“I participated in PhD Career Connect 2023, a highly enriching program. The workshop content was well-crafted to prepare PhD graduates with diverse skills. The networking event with employers and mentors was outstanding, offering us a firsthand opportunity to learn about practical aspects of career preparedness. This program is an excellent offering from Concordia for PhD students.”

Lucas Cober, PhD Career Connect Participant 2023

“The workshops that came before the event, though, are so, so valuable, and are the real reason why I recommend this program to anyone who is thinking of taking their PhD out of academia... all the speakers and organizers of this program are very dedicated to demystifying it for us, and their passion is what really makes PhD Career Connect special.”

F M Anim Hossain, PhD candidate in signal processing and deep learning, June 2022

“I had one of the most memorable weeks of my life during the PhD Career Connect "intensive week" event… PhD students, candidates and graduates from different disciplines teamed up for a case study competition. We had the opportunity to showcase our analytical, problem-solving, accelerated learning and presentation skills to experts and get valuable feedback from them. As an introvert, I was reluctant to participate, but I'm glad I put myself out there. The experience and feedback I acquired during the whole program helped me to grow and I am certain it will benefit me in my long-term career.”

Thomas Vignalou, Adoc Talent Management, June 2022

“This program has a great future for sure. It's a great initiative and many PhDs would love to have this at their university.”

Participant, June 2024

“Today was the last day of the PhD Career Connect course offered by GradProSkills and what a transformative journey it has been!...This course has allowed me to recenter the skills I have as a researcher, a storyteller and a social change strategist, helping me find the words to name what I know I can offer, and infusing my sails with confidence and a fantastic dose of team building power.”

Anthony Maturo, June 2024

“One of the highlights was participating in a case study competition on Les Fermes Lufa / Lufa Farms, organized by Innovatank - The World Case Committee. I am deeply grateful for their support and the insights they provided. Additionally, the lessons and advice shared by professional advisors at Concordia University were invaluable and have left a lasting impact.”

PhD Career Connect