Get career ready
Dal GradPD is your go-to hub to learn about professional development designed for your specific needs as a graduate student. Together with partners across the university and external providers, the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) assembles an ongoing schedule of free workshops and events aimed to help you prepare for a diversity of careers.
The four pillars of the Dal GradPD program are dedicated to building skills necessary for success in any career - Communication, Career Intelligence, Health and Wellbeing, and Leadership - and are offered exclusively to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.
Upcoming Dal GradPD workshops and experiential learning
Graduating this year and feeling anxious about life after university or unprepared for an uncertain job market?
Attend this career development support group facilitated by a career counsellor to build a peer support network and confidence as you prepare to embark on the next chapter of your life!
Date and Time: Ongoing Weekly; Tuesdays 3:00-4:00p.m.
Partner: Bissett Student Success Centre Academic Advising and Career Services
Type: In-Person
Location: McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building
An Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a personal roadmap that can identify personal and professional goals and objectives. In this interactive workshop we would reflect on our achievements, articulate our values, and explore future goals to develop an action plan moving forward in your academic and professional growth. This session will also introduce the Dal GradPD Certificate and how you can take part in this opportunity at Â鶹´«Ã½. Facilitator: Kala Hirtle Clarke, PhD, Director Professional Development and Student Engagement| Faculty of Graduate Studies
Date and time:Â Wednesday, September 18 from 12 to 1 p.m.
Type: Hybrid
Location: McCain 1116; Teams link shared upon registration
An Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a personal roadmap that can identify personal and professional goals and objectives. In this interactive workshop we would reflect on our achievements, articulate our values, and explore future goals to develop an action plan moving forward in your academic and professional growth. This session will also introduce the Dal GradPD Certificate and how you can take part in this opportunity at Â鶹´«Ã½. Facilitator: Kala Hirtle Clarke, PhD, Director Professional Development and Student Engagement| Faculty of Graduate Studies
Date and time:Â Thursday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Type: Online
Location:Â Teams link shared upon registration
An Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a personal roadmap that can identify personal and professional goals and objectives. In this interactive workshop we would reflect on our achievements, articulate our values, and explore future goals to develop an action plan moving forward in your academic and professional growth. This session will also introduce the Dal GradPD Certificate and how you can take part in this opportunity at Â鶹´«Ã½. Facilitator: Kala Hirtle Clarke, PhD, Director Professional Development and Student Engagement| Faculty of Graduate Studies
Date and time:Â Monday, September 23 from 9 to 10 a.m.
Type:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô¾±²Ô±ð
Location:Â Teams link shared upon registration
An Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a personal roadmap that can identify personal and professional goals and objectives. In this interactive workshop we would reflect on our achievements, articulate our values, and explore future goals to develop an action plan moving forward in your academic and professional growth. This session will also introduce the Dal GradPD Certificate and how you can take part in this opportunity at Â鶹´«Ã½. Facilitator: Kala Hirtle Clarke, PhD, Director Professional Development and Student Engagement| Faculty of Graduate Studies.
Date and time:Â Thursday, September 26 from 12 to 1 p.m.
Type:Ìý±á²â²ú°ù¾±»å
Location:Â Goldberg Computer Science Building, Room 228; Teams link shared upon registration
Graduating this year and feeling anxious about life after university or unprepared for an uncertain job market?
Attend this career development support group facilitated by a career counsellor to build a peer support network and confidence as you prepare to embark on the next chapter of your life!
The group is open to students from any program who will graduate in 2024 or 2025 and are available to meet in person at the McCain Arts & Social Sciences building on the Studley campus on Tuesdays from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Session content will be repeated every 5 weeks and students who complete five different sessions of the group this year will be eligible to add as a professional development activity on their Co-Curricular Record!
Date and time:Â Tuesday, September 24 from 3 to 4 p.m.
Type:Ìý±õ²Ô-±è±ð°ù²õ´Ç²Ô
Registration: Ongoing via MyCareer
Location:Â Â McCain Arts and Social Sciences Builing
Participate in the Dal GradPD certificate program
To help you navigate your PD journey, we have created a free certificate program to recognize your efforts and help you identify the opportunities you need to take you where you want to go.
What you’ll do during the certificate program:
Individual development plan (IDP) workshop: In this session, you’ll explore the skills and experiences you need to achieve your professional goals and map your plan to get there. IDP workshops will be held every month, so don't worry if you missed an earlier session. An asynchronous video of the IDP workshop is also available in the Dal GradPD Brightspace.
Pillars workshops: Participate in two hours of workshops from each of the Dal GradPD pillars: Communication, Career Intelligence, Health and Wellbeing, and Leadership. You can select from options provided by Dal GradPD partners or find other opportunities you think will best suit your goals.Â
Experiential learning: Take on four hours of hands-on experience from each pillar. Write a blog, go to a networking event, practice a time management strategy, organize an event – the possibilities are vast and the experiences priceless.Â
Professional identity workshop: Wrap up the certificate with this session that will empower you to articulate the value of the skills you've gained at graduate school to prospective employers.Â
When done, you’ll receive a certificate signed by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and recognition on your transcripts. More importantly, you’ll have developed a plan for where you want to go with your career and assembled the professional and personal skills you need to get there.Â
