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 . 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 intelligenceÂ
Location: McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building
The Research Camp is designed to take you through the elements of research from basic to advanced. The program is offered through a combination of asynchronous modules on Brightspace and live sessions offered in-person, hybrid, or online through Teams. Modules may include short video lectures and interactive exercises to help you brush up on your literature searching, writing, information management, and research skills.Â
Date/time:Â Asynchronous and ongoing
Type: Online
Are you excited to share your research but nervous about speaking in front of an audience? This workshop will walk you through managing anxiety before and during public speaking, using body language to set yourself at ease and connect with your audience, and writing for oral presentations. This workshop also offers some low-pressure practical activities to help you practice some of the strategies you'll learn.
¶Ù²¹³Ù±ð/³Ù¾±³¾±ð:ÌýSeptember 9, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
Pillar: Communication
°Õ²â±è±ð:ÌýHybrid
³¢´Ç³¦²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:ÌýRoom 2018 of the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building, or online via Teams
Teaching Assistant Professional Development Days
The purpose of TA Days is to provide teaching assistants with strategies, information, and/or understanding to support them in their teaching activities during the year. These workshops and webinars are meant to provide both new and returning TAs with the opportunity to listen, learn and ask questions about teaching.
TA Days take place over two days: the first day is held in person (8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ) with lunch provided, and the second day is held virtually (9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).
Participants in the Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (CUTL) can receive up to 5 professional development hours for attending TA Days.
¶Ù²¹³Ù±ð²õ:ÌýSeptember 9-10, 2025
Pillar: All
Type/Location: Attend in person in the Student Union Building (SUB) on day one & online via Microsoft Teams on day two
Do you find it challenging to translate the technical jargon of your field into accessible language that any non-specialist can follow? Are you concerned about alienating your audience with complicated concepts that you've spent months or years researching? This workshop will provide strategies for bridging the gap between specialist speakers and non-specialist audiences to help you communicate your work clearly with any listener.
¶Ù²¹³Ù±ð/³Ù¾±³¾±ð:ÌýSeptember 16, 2025 from 10 to 11 a.m.
Pillar: Communication
°Õ²â±è±ð:ÌýHybrid
³¢´Ç³¦²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:ÌýRoom 2018 of the Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building, or online via Teams
SHIFT: Using Your CV to Build Your Resume
Do CVs and resumes have similarities? Yes! Are they the same? No!
In this 30-minute virtual workshop, you'll join the Bissett Student Success Centre's Career Advisor in examining the differences and similarities between CVs and resumes. You will leave with increased awareness of what document to submit when prompted with a "Resume/CV" application field as well as concrete steps on how you can use your CV to build a strong resume. This workshop is intended for grad students at ºÃÉ«¹È and University of King's College.
No registration required.Â
¶Ù²¹³Ù±ð/³Ù¾±³¾±ð:ÌýOctober 2, 2025 from 10:30 to 11 a.m.
±Ê¾±±ô±ô²¹°ù²õ:ÌýCommunication, Career Intelligence
°Õ²â±è±ð:ÌýOnline via Teams ()
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
