kennedy para academic careers workshop for humanities postgrads
DESCRIPTION
Beyond Lecturing: Careers in Higher Education. Workshop for postgraduate students and early career researchers about the variety of careers in HE (originally designed for Women in German Studies conference, November 2013).TRANSCRIPT
WOMEN IN GERMAN STUDIES8TH NOVEMBER 2013
DR. ELLIE KENNEDYNOTTINGHAM TRENT UNIVERSITY
Beyond Lecturing: The Many Uses for Your PhD
Skills in Higher Education Careers
Workshop Aims
Raise awareness of the variety of career options within Higher Education
Raise awareness of the skills and knowledge gained through pursuing postgraduate study and consider how these can translate to para-academic careers
Introduction
Tell the group:your nameone word or idea that comes to mind when you think of Higher Education
fu-berlin.de
Familiar Conversation?
So what do you do? I’m working on my PhD
That’s impressive! What subject?
German Studies
Oh. What are you going to do with that…?
I’m hoping a lectureship will open in representations of gender in C19th drama. Otherwise … um…
What are you going to do with that?
You have options
Lecturing“academic”
Beyond HE“post-
academic”
Other options within HE
“alt-” or “para-academic”
What makes a university run?
Example – Sheffield UniversityRegistrarAccommodation and Commercial Services Corporate AffairsComputing Services Development, Alumni Relations and Events OfficeEstates and Facilities ManagementFinance and Commercial Human ResourcesPlanning and Governance ServicesResearch and Innovation Services Student Services The University Library
Types of HE institution
UniversitiesPrivate collegesFE colleges
Other institutionsHEAHEFCEFunding councils (AHRC, ESRC, etc.)
I know what you’re thinking…
“This is all well and good, but what use is my specialised
knowledge of Weimar cinema in a university Corporate
Affairs department?”
In addition to your specialised knowledge,
you are gaining a tremendous wealth of skills and knowledge
related to HE
Skills and Knowledge
In groups, take one of the following areas and brainstorm skills and/or knowledge you are gaining through your postgraduate work.
Research
Example: finding information
Teaching
Example:giving lectures
‘Soft’ skills
Example:working to deadlines
Knowledge of HE
Example:working with academics
Research Skills
Finding informationSynthesising informationAnalytical skillsWriting persuasivelyUsing evidence to support argumentsDelivering a conference presentationWriting successful grant proposals
All of this in more than one language!
Teaching Skills
Preparing and delivering lecturesTeaching languageTeaching large and small groupsMaking complex concepts accessible to non-
expertsMarkingAdhering to standardisation & QA proceduresCreating teaching materialsUsing a VLEAdvising students (e.g. on year abroad)
Knowledge of HE
Working with undergraduate and postgraduate students
Communicating with academic and non-academic staff
Knowledge of university governance structure
Participating in committees/representationKnowledge of HE sector and relevant issues
‘Soft’/Transferable Skills
Communication – with different audiencesTime management/working to deadlinesOrganisation/project planningWorking independentlyTeamwork?PresentationsIntercultural competenceAttention to detail/precisionExplaining complex ideas and informationVersatile ways of thinking
Let’s look at some examples to see how some of these skills can translate into real HE jobs…
Case Study: Sara
PhD in: English LiteratureJob title:
Research Facilitator, College of Law/Research Services, University of X
Key Activities:Mentoring faculty towards research success, strategic planning, commenting on/editing grant applications
Useful skills from PhD:Editing skills, presentation skills, experience doing research and knowledge of the research process, awareness of granting agencies
Case Study: Brenda
PhD in: German Studies Current job title(s):
Director, University of Missouri-Kansas City Women's Center Director, Women's & Gender Studies Program Affiliated Faculty in German, UMKC
Skills from my PhD that I use in my work: Writing Research skills Teaching skills (through actual teaching & delivering
workshops)
Link to dissertation topic: Feminist literature/issues
Case Study: Ellie – Journey
First degree in GermanCELTA (“get some professional qualifications”)
Teaching English in Germany/internationallyMA & PhD in German Literature
Including teaching German language
LecturingTeaching EAP
English for Academic Purposes to international students
Academic Development
Case Study: Ellie – Role
Position: Learning and Teaching Officer, Centre for Academic Development and Quality, Nottingham Trent University
What drives me? I want to make students’ academic experience the best it can be
How do I go about this:Through my job: working with academic and managerial staff across the university on strategic Learning & Teaching projectsNetworking within the universityParticipation in a wider scholarly community (EAP in EM; ISEJ)
Use: research skills, teaching knowledge, HE experience
Your PhD – help or hindrance in job applications?
Don’t omit it from your CVDon’t expect it to speak for itselfExplain how it is relevant to the position
sought: My academic and professional experience have
enabled me to develop extensive research skills. I completed a doctoral dissertation on contemporary German literature in 2004, a long-term project which involved a considerable amount of planning and research. Through my scholarly work I learned to identify, locate and evaluate relevant materials, to read a range of academic texts and to synthesise the results.
Evidencing Skills
Imagine you are applying for a job in the International Office of a university. The office is seeking someone with ‘an international focus’. How would you argue that you fit this description?
You have 2 minutes to convince a partner!
Summary/Key Message from this Session
You have options:AcademicPara-academicPost-academic
You are gaining valuable skills and knowledge for all of these.
Strategies
Identify what you love about working in HE researching? teaching? writing? being part of a scholarly
community?
Keep yourself informed about current discussions in HE (via THES, Guardian, HEA etc.)
Look for jobs via the above and filter your searches on jobs.ac.uk
Make a list of your HE-related skills and knowledge and update it regularly
When applying for jobs, explain how your PhD work is relevant to the job description
Resources
Specifically Para-Academic Career Tips for Humanities Postgraduates:http://www.alt-academix.com/
Both Post-Academic and Para-Academic CareersVITAE have many resources: www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/1270/Careers.htmlUseful blog from Canada: http://nonacadinfo.blog.lib.mcmaster.ca/Versatile PhD (mainly US but very helpful) http://versatilephd.com/Example of German PhD graduate www.universityaffairs.ca/from-phd-to-life/
Staying abreast of current topics in HE:
Guardian HE: www.theguardian.com/education/higher-education
Higher Education Academy: www.heacademy.ac.uk/
http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/arts-and-humanities
Times Higher Ed Supplement www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/
Sources for Job Vacancies
In UK: www.jobs.ac.ukAcademic and Research Jobs in Europe
http://academicpositions.eu/Media sources on previous slideLinkedInLocal university website job pages
Skills & knowledge
gained via your PhD work
Research Teaching
‘Soft’ skillsKnowledge
of HE