CAREERS ADVISORY SERVICE: Insight Onsite programme for PhD students

Employers from industry, commerce and the public sector are involved in the scheme, which will be structured around a combination of work shadowing and a mini project.

Your chance to experience a different working environment

It has long been recognised that a high proportion of PhD students pursue careers outside of academia following completion of their studies. However it is also the case that many PhD students do not always have an understanding of what other careers might be available to them and may also lack the practical experience of working environments outside of academia.

Insight Onsite will provide you with the opportunity to experience a different working environment through participation in a short, three week, taster placement. Employers from industry, commerce and the public sector are involved in the scheme, which will be structured around a combination of work shadowing and a mini project.

Although not providing as full an introduction to a working environment as a longer summer internship, the taster session will be easier to manage in relation to any ongoing research commitments in College and certainly allow you the opportunity to observe a job role and gauge the culture and value of a work place.

The actual timing of the placement is open to negotiation between you, your supervisor and the host organisation but it is expected that any participating student will carry out the three week placement between April and September 2011. 

The placements are unpaid but reasonable out of pocket expenses for travel and, where necessary, accommodation will be covered by the Insight Onsite fund up to a maximum of £150 for placements based within Greater London, £1000 for placements in other parts of the UK and £1500 for placements in the EU.  Successful applicants to the scheme must also agree to disseminate their experience to other PhD students by producing a short case study/report for the Postgraduate pages of the Careers Advisory Service website.  Last year’s placement reports are available at http://www.imperial.ac.uk/careers/pg/research/option

A list of the Insight Onsite placements can be found here.  Full details can be found by clicking on the company name. 

To apply to take part in Insight Onsite 2011 please complete the application form and email it along with a copy of your CV to careers@imperial.ac.uk

Preference will be given to final year PhD students followed by 2^nd years.  Selection will be based on your response in Section 2 of the application form.  Applicants may be called for a short interview to confirm their place on the scheme. 

Please note that the closing date for applications is Friday 1 April 2011.

Insight Onsite Individual Bursaries

The Careers Advisory Service is also offering a limited number of individual bursaries to support PhD students who have organised their own placement during 2011.

See full details on the Individual Bursary scheme and application process