SCI3930 Career skills for scientists

This unit uses work-related activities to develop and enhance your transferable skills, focus on essential career planning, and prepares you to make effective applications for graduate level employment.

Commercial awareness is the umbrella theme of the unit due to its critical importance in the workplace and has been well-reported as an area of employer dissatisfaction with graduate recruits in science. You will explore aspects such as the intellectual property landscape, budgeting, regulation, quality control, marketing strategy, and the business environment, through creative problem-solving activities in a scientific employment context. The unit also focuses on other important skills for graduate employability, including communication, leadership, team-working, problem-solving and critical thinking. You will audit your key employability skills, reflect on ongoing development and keep a record of your self-evaluation so you can better articulate your skills to potential employers. The unit also offers opportunities to network with alumni, explore various career pathways, job search strategies, and prepare an effective job application (from writing a resume and cover letter and responding to selection criteria to succeeding at an interview).