PhD Career Connect

The model

PhD Career Connect selects a multidisciplinary cohort of PhD candidates, recent graduates and postdocs each year to complete the program’s three stages:

Six weeks of self-directed, virtual, and instructor-led workshops to enhance professional and job readiness skills.
A three-day intensive program where students and employers network though workshops, panel discussions, case studies and a career fair.
A post-event workshop where students debrief their experiences and finalize a personalized career/action plan.

PhD Career Connect is an adaptation of the award-winning graduate training model titled Accelerate to Industry (A2I) which originated in North Carolina State University.

Program objectives

Explore careers

Inform PhDs of their diverse career possibilities, moving beyond the traditional academic career path

Professional development

Further enhance PhDs' professional and job readiness skills

Showcase skills and network

Create an opportunity for PhDs to demonstrate their professional and job readiness skills to prospective employers through case study analysis and networking

Raise awareness

Raise employer and student awareness concerning the diverse skills and expertise developed during a PhD education

Testimonials

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.”

Amanda Merrithew, Shared Services Canada, June 2022

“I want to extend a warm thank you to Concordia for organizing PhD Career Connect. It was a wonderful opportunity to engage with some of your brightest and most talented students.

Thank you for your hospitality and commitment to promoting and enriching the potential of your amazing candidates. Please keep Shared Services Canada informed on your plans for next year. We will spread the word to other Government of Canada organizations about this recruitment opportunity. We look forward to continuing our collaborations with Concordia.”

Kathleen McGarvey, PhD Tandem Launch, June 2022

“I really enjoyed the event and Noel and I spoke with some very interesting people that could potentially be good candidates for us. Keep us updated on the next iteration of PhD Career Connect!”

School of Graduate Studies