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
Professional Career Development Group
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!
Registration is now available on the MyCareer events calendar. Go to the next Friday on the events calendar to register, after which you will be contacted to confirm your eligibility and additional details. New registrations will be accepted weekly throughout the term, but space is limited, so students are encouraged to register early!
Date and time: Ongoing weekly; Tuesdays from 3 to 4 p.m.
Partner: Bissett Student Success Centre Academic Advising and Career Services
Type: In-Person
Pillar: Career intelligence
Location: McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building
Building Your Narrative Story: Writing Effective Statements of Interest / Personal Statements
The workshop is designed to guide you through the process of writing an effective personal statement and will provide strategies for helping you begin your draft as well as revision and refinement. Statements of intent or personal statements can be part of applications to graduate programs, co-op placements, and funding applications.
Facilitated by Janice MacDonald Eddington and Kala Hirtle, Dalhousie Writing Centre.
Date and time: December 10 from 2 to 3 p.m.
Type: Online
Location: Teams
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 Dalhousie.
Facilitator: Kala Hirtle Clarke, PhD, Director Professional Development and Student Engagement | Faculty of Graduate Studies
Date and time: January 10 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Type: Online
Location: Teams
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 Dalhousie.
Facilitator: Kala Hirtle Clarke, PhD, Director Professional Development and Student Engagement | Faculty of Graduate Studies
Date and time: January 15 from 2 to 3 p.m.
Type: Hybrid
Location: Room 3089, Kenneth C. Rowe Management Building, Studley Campus
Managing Time & Avoiding Procrastination as a Graduate Student
We all know that being a graduate student is hectic, juggling many roles and responsibilities. That’s why we are offering this 1-hour workshop with Emilee Fackelmann from the Studying for Success Program. Join us to discover some great strategies for prioritizing your tasks, managing your weekly and monthly schedules, and overcoming those times when you can’t seem to find the motivation to get started. We can’t wait to see you there!
Date and time: January 28 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Partner: Studying for Success
Type: Virtual via Zoom
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.
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.
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.
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.
