Getting from here to there: Career planning for life after graduate school Presented by Norah McRae, Executive Director of UVic

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Getting from here to thereCareer planning for
life after graduate schoolPresented by Norah
McRae, Executive Director of UVics Co-operative
Education Programand Career Services
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Moving from here to there
How can you put your learning in motion?

• Your presenters path
• MBA with interest in not-for-profits
• Interdisciplinary PhD
• Focus on what motivates you, what you value and
  what you enjoy
• What do you want to contribute?
• This is the here, or your starting point

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Todays session
How Co-op and Career can help you get there

• Todays session will help you answer this
  question
• As a grad student, how can you get ready for life
  after grad school?

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Todays session
How Co-op and Career can help you get there

• We can help you through
• A competency-based approach
• Co-op and Career support (career preparation and
  planning)
• Co-op and Career programs (Co-op, Horizons,
  Navigator, other community-based experiential
  learning)
• Networking opportunities and events
• Online resource kits
• Job postings

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1. A competency-based approach
A Co-op and Career model

• You can make an impression on employers by
• Becoming very good at what you want to do
• Being able to describe and offer competencies
  (knowledge, skills and attributes) that are
  valued by
• Your target sector
• Your workplace
• Your employer

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1. A competency-based approach
3 types of competencies

• 10 core transferable skills for nearly any
  workplace
• Program-specific skills valued by employers in
  your career field
• Professional skills valued by professionals in
  various industries

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1. A competency-based approach
1. Core competencies Transferable skills for any
workplace

• Personal management
• Communication
• Managing information
• Research and analysis
• Project and task management
• Teamwork
• Commitment to quality
• Professional behaviour
• Social responsibility
• Continuous learning

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1. A competency-based approach
Core competenciesan example

• Personal management means that you understand
  yourself and are conscious of the implications of
  your interactions with others.
• Online resource for each core competency
• E.g. Personal management

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1. A competency-based approach
2. Program specific competencies linked to
academic program

• Competencies learned throughout your academic
  program
• Co-op and career has mapped these
• For graduate students, the mastery of the
  competencies should be at a more intense and
  higher level

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1. A competency-based approach
3. Professional competencies valued by
professionals/industries

• Contact associations/organizations related to
  your profession or industry
• Learn what competencies are required

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1. A competency-based approach
Fill in the gaps and develop your competencies

• Use the competency gap analysis resource
• Identify and assess your competency development
• Write a master competency inventory
• Plan your next steps
• Curricular
• Co-curricular
• Experiential
• Document evidence of competency achievement

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2. Co-op and Career support
How can we help you reach your career goals?

• Starting from scratch?
• Arrange a career counselling appointment with a
  career educator or Counselling Services
• Have a plan?
• Meet with a career educator from your faculty

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2. Co-op and Career support
Your Co-op and Career office
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2. Co-op and Career support
Carly (masters student in political science) met
with a career educator for one-on-one career
coaching. She learned how to tailor her résumé
and cover letter to market herself to her top
employers.
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3. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program

• Alternate your academic studies with paid,
  relevant work experience in your field of study
  (4-month work terms)
• Gain competencies
• Enrich your academic studies with real-world
  experience
• Link co-op to your graduate research
• Work for employers in the public, private and
  not-for-profit sectors

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3. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program

• Largest provider of graduate co-op in Canada
• 16.6 of graduate students participate
• In 2010/11, there were 308 graduate co-op
  placements (on the rise)
• Highest in HSD, Engineering, Business and
  Education
• 1/3 of co-op grads find permanent full-time
  employment with former co-op employers
• Average graduate co-op student salary
  3,292/month

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2. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program
Oscar (MBA) spent a work term developing a
business and marketing strategy for Woodwynn
Farms, a not-for-profit association based in
Brentwood Bay, BC. Co-op gave the chance to
work shoulder-to-shoulder with community leaders.
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2. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program
Iris (applied science masters student) completed
a work term as a software engineer at Quester
Tangent, where she programmed seabed
classification software. Co-op helped me learn
about different employers and whether they were a
good long-term fit for my career.
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2. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program
Co-op helped me determine what Im good at, what
I want to do, and where I want to apply my
skills. My co-op position is the job Ive
always wanted to do but never had a chance to try
before now. There has been talk of full-time
employment with my co-op employer. Ive very much
like to stay on. Ive been able to see what
goes on in the real engineering world AND the
academic worldthey are totally different. -
Farida (mechanical engineering masters
student)
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2. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program
Ivan (MBA) worked for the BC Ministry of
Agriculture and Lands, where he developed a
strategic business plan. Im now prepared to
start a career in the provincial government and
have a better sense of what to look for in a job.
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3. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program

• Are you eligible for co-op?
• Available to students in all graduate program
  areas who are pursuing thesis and non-thesis or
  professional degrees
• Admission will be determined after consultation
  with your graduate adviser and department
• Requirements (may vary)
• Masters students 2 work terms
• Doctoral students 3 work terms

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3. Co-op and Career programs
Co-operative Education Program

• A typical graduate study/co-op work term schedule
  may look like this

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3. Co-op and Career programs
Horizons Program

• For grads unsure of their next steps
• Identify your career motivators
• Research possible career paths and plan your next
  step
• Group and one-on-one coaching sessions
• Starts March 23email careerpg_at_uvic.ca

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3. Co-op and Career programs
Navigator Program

• For grads looking for work
• Create effective work search tools
• Organize your work search process
• Develop networking skills
• Group and one-on-one coaching sessions
• Starts March 24email careerpg_at_uvic.ca

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Co-op and Career programs
Other programs

• What can you do with your degree series
• Résumania
• Multiple Mini Interviews (mock interviews)
• Ongoing career workshops
• www.uvic.ca/coopandcareer/events

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4. Networking opportunities
Connect with employers

• Employer information sessions
• Co-op and Career fairs
• Community connections
• Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce
• VIATeC
• www.uvic.ca/coopandcareer/events

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5. Online resource kits
Access career development resources

• More than 110 resources at www.uvic.ca/coopandcare
  er/resources
• Journey kit resources to plan and research your
  career path
• Competency kit resources to develop and practice
  competencies.
• Tool kit resources to master the art of the job
  search (résumés, cover letters, interview and
  more)

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6. Job postings
Apply to a wide range of postings

• http//learninginmotion.uvic.ca
• Career jobs
• On-campus positions
• Volunteer opportunities
• Tutor registry
• Casual jobs
• www.mycoop.ca (until May 1)
• Co-op postings

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What does your future look like?
The path is open

• One size does not fit all
• Lifelong employment is no longer a reality
• Jobs rather than professions are often created
  and are unique to people and situations

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What does your future look like?
The path is open

• Workplace of the future will require
• Flexibility
• Adaptability
• Innovation

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How can you excel?
Connect with Co-op and Career

• Learn about competencies valued by your industry
  of interest
• Consult with Co-op and Career staff to plan out
  your next steps
• Keep in touch - Remember, we offer lifelong
  career support
• www.uvic.ca/coopandcareer

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Thank you.