Connecting with Industry

Connecting with Industry is a certificated interactive on-line programme that equips researchers with the skills and confidence required to work more effectively with industry.  It provides you with a working knowledge of key business issues that impact commercial organisations, which is valuable whether you plan to pursue a career in industry or collaborate with industry as part of a career in academic research. Throughout the programme you have the opportunity to work with your peers in a group setting, explore key concepts independently and apply new skills and tools to your current situation. The programme has been developed in consultation with Researcher Development Managers, CDT coordinators and other project leads from over 15 UK universities combined with in-depth surveying of more than 350 researchers and academics. 

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

The programme is organised into 6 modules, typically run on weekly cycles over 6 weeks. Each module includes self-study elements, a live on-line workshop with peers and application activities. Below is an overview of the key topic areas covered in the programme.

Exploring Opportunities in Industry

Explore possible opportunities for industry-university collaborations. Consider the potential benefits and risks of collaboration. Learn about different routes to developing collaborations and think about how working with industry fits with your career development strategy. 

Discovering Where You Add Value in Industry

Explore challenges, problems and opportunities facing a specific industry. Work to connect-the-dots between these issues and your research, skills and interests, helping you discover opportunities for how you can add value in industry. 

Speaking the Language of Business

Learn key business frameworks and terminology, enabling you to more effectively speak “the language of business”. This will help you engage more confidently with businesses, translating your research and academic experience in a way that is relevant to businesses. 

Communicating your Value to Industry

Learn how to develop clear and impactful communication that articulates to business and industry how you can add value. As a result, you’ll feel more confident and motivated to pro-actively engage with industry and businesses.

Positioning Yourself as an Expert to Industry

You’re provided with a roadmap for how to become recognised by industry as an “expert”. Learn to take a strategic approach to presenting yourself to industry and identify specific actions to establish expert status in the mind of industry.

Building Meaningful Relationships with Industry

Apply a framework for thinking strategically about growing and nurturing professional relationships. Consider your goals and develop a plan to pro-actively develop relationships in a way that helps you deliver greater impact.

  • It’s a really eye-opening course. My motivation was boosted and I realised there was something impactful I could do to change people’s lives.

    Dareen Assaf, Researcher - Institute of Education, Sheffield Hallam University

  • I thought you were awesome at facilitating the workshop. I loved the way you skilfully ensured we kept it on track and we achieved our learning outcomes. As an entrepreneur and researcher, I so loved the session and will definitely be part of my toolbox. Thanks once again!

    Joojo Kye-Sarpong, Researcher, NHS Foundation Trust

  • Communicating effectively and addressing your contacts with the appropriate language were the two most important lessons I learnt during this programme. The sessions helped our group to socialise and bond in a very interesting and productive way.”

    Lydia Marinou, Researcher, University of Glasgow, Cardiovascular Research

  • Really useful course that offers practical ways to connect and understand industry.

    Lauren Eades - Researcher, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular & Metabolic Medicine

PROGRAMME STRUCTURE

Connecting with Industry is a rich, varied and engaging skills development programme. The course is hosted on our e-learning platform where you can access course content and downloadable resources.

Self-Study Lessons

Multimedia content covering key concepts, frameworks and principles. This includes video lessons, recorded interviews with subject matter experts, selected readings and links to externally hosted materials. You have access to this material throughout the programme. 

Live on-line Workshops

Interactive zoom-based group workshops that give you the opportunity to activate tools and skills with your peers in a supportive environment. We apply a range of tools to support group work and collaboration, including online breakout rooms, virtual whiteboards and digital collaborative spaces.

Downloadable Resources

You have access to a range of downloadable resources throughout the programme, including pdf’s of presentation slides, worksheets & templates and a selection of short texts. These materials become a valuable part of your resource & skills toolbox.   

Application & Feedback

Each module includes at least 1 application activity. These activities encourage you to apply the principles and tools to your situation. The outputs for some of the activities are submitted for review by the trainer, who provides personalised feedback.   

Conversations with Industry

Facilitated group discussions with professionals experienced working in, or with, industry. The “Conversations” are live interactive forums with diverse guests who provide context, inspiration and real-world stories that bring key learnings to life. They also offer the opportunity for you to expand your network and build relationships with industry contacts. It’s not uncommon for these events to lead to opportunities beyond the programme, such as placements, joint research projects or employment. 

Time Commitment:

Expect to spend 2.5hrs – 3.5hrs per week to successfully complete this certificated programme. This includes 1 x 90-minute on-line group workshop per module, with the rest of the time spent on self-study and application activities, which can be completed on your own schedule.

  • Are you terrified at the thought of having to find your own role in order to make a living outside of academia? Then do this course, even it you have no clue about what you want to do!

    Sally King - Reasearcher, Department of Global Health & Medicine at King's College London

  • An amazing programme to get you thinking about the aspects of shifting from academia to a career in industry, how to effectively research a potential company of interest and how to sell yourself and the skills you have developed.

    Divya Popat - Researcher, Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at University of Oxford

  • It’s an excellent progamme that gives some very valuable insights into getting a job in industry and how to effectively communicate your value. The connections you make with peers during this course is also very valuable.

    Scott Bonner - Researcher, University of Oxford

  • The course was fantastic – exceeding all of my expectations. The content was clear and the practice with other group members gave me confidence to share my thoughts and practice using the industry tools in a safe space. As a result of this course I feel more confident in my ability to deliver impact with my research.

    Victoria Milner - Researcher, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London

ABOUT SKILLFLUENCE

We are a specialist training and skills development company who focus on helping researchers develop the skills and confidence to work more effectively in, or with, industry.  We identify best-in-class tools and processes and package them into programmes that meet the unique needs of researchers. During the last 5 years we have worked with more 40 universities in the UK and Europe and trained over 5000 PhD students, early career researchers and academics.

Clients & Partners

We've run Connecting with Industry programmes for researchers from a rapidly growing list of top universities.
University of Oxford CDT 
 
King's College London University of London DTC 

  • RT @EquateScotland: Our free Women in Data Science course is back! Apply now for your spot on a 3.5 day intro course to a career in Data Sc… 21 hours ago
  • RT @spchambers007: .@indbio NY labs soon to be finished...excited to start our next cohort...a great space for startups w/access to cutting… 2 days ago
  • RT @EnergyRA: ERA is working with Nuffield Research Placements to provide placements in science to young people from disadvantaged backgrou… 2 days ago

  • If you want someone to go that extra mile to provide professional training material to suit your requirement I would have no hesitation in recommending them.

    Alison Gee, Enterprise Development Manager: Launch.Ed, Edinburgh Research & Innovation at University of Edinburgh

  • We employed Skillfluence to develop a series of training programs tailored towards science graduates. The facilitators were highly professional, easy to work with and they listened and responded to our specific training needs with excellent suggestions and a bespoke program. The workshops delivered our training goals and got excellent participant feedback. We are very happy with Skillfluence and will be using them again in the future.

    Course Coordinator, Biotechnology Masters

  • Alison presented the communication skills and career workshop at the European Congress of Biotechnology as initiated by the Young European Biotech Network. It was a pleasure to collaborate with Alison. Her presentation was well designed and contained many important advises for young scientists. She did a fantastic job in encouraging the attendants to get out of their seats and practice their communication skills during the presentation.

    Dr Robert Schwamborn, Chairman of the Young European Biotechnology Network

  • “This is my first time to learn about job interviews and Ph.D experience, especially UK job description which is new for me. Therefore, I learned significant details and technique from this workshop and found out it’s very useful for my future.”

    Napisa Patthara Prachayaku, University of Glasgow Biotechnology Masters Student