Accelerate to Industry (A2i)

A bold new approach to workforce development.

The Accelerate to Industry (A2i)™ program allows our graduate and postdoctoral trainees to gain a competitive edge as they enter the workforce.

What is A2i?

Accelerate to Industry (A2i)™ is an industry workforce readiness program for graduate students and postdoctoral researchers developed by the NC State University Graduate School. The program provides students with knowledge, skills, and abilities that establish long-term professional success.

Skills to Fill Training Gaps

We recognize the need to develop a robust program of training initiatives that span all workforce sectors, including the STEM industry. Students in traditional degree programs often lack awareness of industry careers and the business and professional skills required to acquire and succeed in those jobs.

In partnership with the NC State University Graduate School, the A2i initiative is intended to fill these training gaps for master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.

A2i Training Modules

A2i seeks to bridge the gaps between traditional academic training and industry employment readiness through five training modules:

1. Immersion
2. Team Practicum
3. Job Search Strategies
4. Internships
5. Company Site Visit

Immersive Job Training Experience

A2i is an experience that includes:

• Development workshops
• Panel discussions
• Presentations
• Networking events
• Team-based project

All are designed to collectively increase awareness of industry careers and to develop key competencies highly valued by industry.

We can tailor the program’s content, project work, and activities to the topics that best suit the needs of sponsoring companies. The program offers the added benefit of providing sponsoring companies with a more meaningful and robust engagement experience for recruitment of our very best and most motivated students. 

Need to Better Understand Industry

Academic employment for new doctoral recipients (STEM and non-STEM) dropped from 51% to nearly 44% between 2006 and 2016, while industry employment rose from 25% to nearly 35% during that same period.

- National Science Foundation, National Center for Science & Engineering Statistics, Survey of Earned Doctorates, 2017

The Accelerate to Industry program helps UND graduate students prepare for this shift in career opportunities to a variety of public, corporate and non-profit industries that need their advanced skills and expertise.