Latest news in career management provision for University of Leicester PhD researchers

Engineering YES team make it through to the final

Engineering YES is a training competition, for PhD researchers, in which participants pitch a fictional business plan to potential investors.  Participants work in teams over a period of three days to develop their business concept, with advice and support being provided by industry and business experts.  The University of Leicester team developed a business idea around a paint designed to reduce a building’s vulnerability to earthquake damage.

Engineering YES 2014 saw the first ever team from the University of Leicester to enter the competition secure a place in the finals by coming runners-up in their heat. The team consisting of Stephan Hug and Xingzhong Liang from Engineering, with Andrea Giugliano from Computer Science, narrowly lost out to one of the UCL teams in what the organisers called the “closest heat yet”.  The University of Leicester secured the prize for “best teamwork”. The finals will be held on the 18th of June at the Birmingham Science Park with competing teams from Bath, Nottingham, UCL, Warwick and Loughborough University. Good luck to the team in Wednesday’s final.

Biotechnology YES

Entries have now closed for Biotechnology YES 2014. The University of Leicester team will be made up of PhD researchers from Genetics and the MRC Toxicology Unit.  The Engineers have set the standard so we wish the team the best of luck.

Career Management Training Revamp

Over the summer months the career management training for PhD researchers will be undergoing something of a makeover, with the most of the taught provision being made available through online flexible learning.  This will be particularly beneficial for those of you doing your PhD by distance learning and/or part-time.

There are a small number of training sessions which will still be delivered exclusively face-to-face.  As part of the revision we will be piloting three 2-hour sessions in July.  The focus of these sessions is on issues around personal styles and working with others.  This includes an opportunity to do an online psychometric on your preferred style of teamwork, and receive a personalised written report on the outcome.  If you are interested in taking part in these pilots please let us know on MGC5@le.ac.uk