InKForge Dr Kay Guccione Researcher Training & Development Advisor

Early Career Group Post-graduate Research Committee InKForge Training workshops Fellowship coaching Career seminars Thesis coaching Mentoring SURE scheme Non-Academic Network RCUK Vitae (national policy) Researchers (current needs) Employers (current needs) Supervisors (current needs)

InKForge Long term aims for the project: Increasing awareness of industrial career paths Increasing the networks of our researchers Increased opportunities for work experience for researchers in industry Increased success of our researchers gaining industrial positions Increased collaboration for research with industry Why? 2010 Baseline data show that few of our researchers know what to expect from a career in industry* (*Lee et al 2010)

EMPLOYER INTERVIEWS – 2 QUESTIONS What is industry is looking for in an employee? How can we develop our training programme to improve the potential of our researchers in getting positions in industry? InKForge

FINDINGS 1 – Interviews No technical ‘skills gap’ between academic researchers and industrial positions. The missing skills were referred to as ‘qualities’ and were deemed to be an ‘attitude gap’. Or ‘lack of well roundedness’. InKForge

FINDINGS 2 – Focus groups The quality of CV and application from academic researchers is low. Researchers often perceive industry as being an easy option and are unprepared. Academic researchers cannot articulate: What application their research has An awareness of business language and terminology InKForge

INDUSTRY SAID… we recommend that you… embed a culture of interaction with industry at every level, across the Faculty, to allow researchers to interact with industry representatives, ask questions and become more aware. InKForge

ACTION PLAN – Some suggested activities Guest seminars Research open days – e.g. Krebs Symposium, Medical School RD Industrial Career Day – range, roles and career paths, a day in the life, career development essentials Industrial CV workshops We can fund your event if it has an industry angle …Industrial mentoring InKForge

DEPT. TAILORED ACTION PLAN What career are you aspiring to? What activities, experiences and skills do you need? Your chance to find out…MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY InKForge

DEPT. TAILORED ACTION PLAN - enquiries, suggestions, Think Arts & Humanities, Social Sciences and InKForge