Accelerate to Industry (A2i)

Prepare beyond the classroom.

UND is proud to offer the Accelerate to Industry program (A2i), a unique initiative for graduate students currently available at only 30 universities nationwide. Through UND’s partnerships with a wide range of businesses, government agencies and nonprofits, you’ll have opportunities for immersive experiences tailored to the career outcomes you want.

Students from programs as diverse as English, Engineering, Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry and Counseling Psychology have landed internships with A2i partners, providing hands-on professional experiences positioning them for long-term career success.

Immersive Job Training Experience

A2i offers a range of training experiences, including:

• Internships
• Company visits
• Talks from industry leaders about the skills most in demand
• Job search strategy workshops with HR and career service professionals
• Team-based project

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

All trainings 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.