GRADnet Employer Engagement Programme
Discover how SEPnet’s GRADnet connects physics graduates with employers through tailored engagement opportunities. Learn how your organization can benefit from collaborating with skilled graduates ready to bring innovative solutions to your industry.
Physics research students have highly developed problem-solving skills, strong analytical and mathematical skills, and fresh ideas which are hugely valuable to industry in a number of sectors. They have many options once they complete their degrees; research is one, but commonly more postgraduates take up roles in industry as soon as they complete their PhDs.
What is the GRADnet employer engagement programme?
Through our GRADnet employer engagement programme, we aim to provide its postgraduate researcher students (PGRs) and early career researchers (ECRs) with insights and experience of careers beyond academia, so they have an understanding of how their research fits into the business environment and business needs, and so they can play a significant role in driving innovation in industry.
What we offer employers
GRADnet’s Employer Engagement Programme offers industry access to some of the brightest minds and skilled problem solvers through placements and other employer-led opportunities for physics postgraduate research students (PGRs). We provide employers with:
Access to physics researchers across nine universities
Opportunities to conduct feasibility studies, analyse data and tap into new ideas
Access to knowledge exchange, consultancy and collaborative research opportunities
Industry-academia networking events
The support of a team of specialist employability advisors.
What employers can offer
Short consultancy projects/placements 1 to 3 weeks Short block placements 1 to 3 months Site visits, tours and work shadowing Mentoring – one-off or ongoing (see below for more details) Technical and employability skills training at our training courses
Want to know more? Click here to read about some of our PGRs’ placements, and download our Guidance for Employers’ information sheet (pdf).
To offer an opportunity register online here.
Employers with an interest specifically in data science and machine learning may also want to contact The Data Intensive Science Centre in SEPnet, DISCnet, which is an STFC Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT). DISCnet students spend six months in a non-University environment to undertake research that exploits their data intensive science skills.
What we offer PGRs
Through its extensive industry contacts, GRADnet offers a programme of training to develop entrepreneurship and commercial awareness, crucially informed by employer engagement and real-world problem-solving. Opportunities include:
Business-led training within the GRADnet programme
Short paid placements in companies (click here to read about some of our PGRs’ placements)
Networking events to help develop your contacts and polish your employability skills
Paid secondments within SEPnet universities to develop the commercial potential of university projects (working on Impact Acceleration Accounts).
Whether you intend to pursue a career in academia or industry, these opportunities enable you to develop and apply your technical skills and knowledge, learn new skills, e.g. programming, improve your project management, presentation and communication skills, gain wider industry experience, and find out about career opportunities, develop your entrepreneurship and commercial awareness.
For more information and guidelines for PGRs see here. And to read about some of our PGR placements see below.
To apply for an opportunity register online here.
Mentoring opportunities
SEPnet strongly supports employer mentoring as a tool for developing students’ potential and enhancing career opportunities. SEPnet, through its Graduate Network (GRADnet), offers mentoring opportunities with employers for physics postgraduate research students (PGRs) across the 6 partners institutions.
“It was great to meet Jane Ireland because she works in the intersection of academia and industry based at NPL and so can give insight into both. In our first meeting we broadly discussed the sorts of career paths that I’m interested in.”– PGR student, Queen Mary University of London
Benefits for the employer mentor
Broadening your own skills, knowledge and personal development;
Increasing personal and professional networks;
The opportunity to support students and make a valuable contribution to education, skills development and society.
Benefits to the student mentee
Help with developing your career path or an understanding of the requirements to get into a field of interest;
Advice on how to stand out and improve employability;
Help with tailoring your CV so that it stands out or develop and practise your interviewing skills;
Gaining from the knowledge, experience and expertise of someone about a specialist career area or industry field;
