Supporting Graduate Students in Exploring Career Paths Beyond Academia

Faculty are often confident in guiding students toward academic careers but may feel less prepared to support those pursuing non-academic options. This session addresses how faculty can help graduate students recognize and translate their skills into a broad range of career opportunities.

Key Questions We’ll Explore:

• How can faculty help students explore diverse career pathways?
• Where do graduates typically find employment?
• What career development theories and strategies support students’ career planning?

Graduate students often face the paradox of feeling overqualified yet under-experienced for roles beyond academia. This session will address how faculty can ease that uncertainty through early, meaningful conversations and tailored guidance.

Session Goals:

• Understand the impact of early career conversations.
• Learn how to help students connect their experiences, disciplines, and aspirations.
• Explore ways to use your professional network to support students.
• Discover tools, resources, and referral points to better guide students.

This session is offered by UBC Career Centre and Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

While this session emphasizes career options outside academia – bridging the gap between academic training and a wide array of professional futures, equipping faculty to support students in exploring all career options – the UBC Career Centre also supports a wide range of career goals including academic progression. If you have any questions about this session or would like to connect beforehand, please email: career.centre@ubc.ca.