The Fall 2024 Accelerate to Industry (A2i) workshop series concluded last month, having connected 60 Charlotte graduate students to thought-provoking and career-enhancing presentations from distinguished experts representing Novant Health, TIAA, Pesta, Finnie and Associates, LLP, 704 Shop, and Siemens Energy.
A2i is a workforce development program that allows graduate students to explore diverse career paths with our industry partners in the Charlotte region and beyond.
This year’s A2i sessions were led by Katie Conrad, Novant Health, Mike Cowell, TIAA, and Peter Greve, Pesta, Finnie and Associates. Conrad, 2017 Masters of Health Administration, shared strategies for leveraging opportunities within and outside academia and tips for networking and building relationships with industry professionals. She serves as Director and Deputy Chief of Staff with Novant Health.
Mike Cowell, Executive Vice President and Chief Auditor for TIAA and a member of the company’s Executive Committee, provided advice on how to stand out in a competitive job market.
Peter Greve, who received a BS in Mathematics and Accounting, as well as an MA in Mathematics at Charlotte, works with commercial and residential real estate clients. Peter addressed the importance of first impressions and provided tips for effective verbal and written communication.
“Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars tend to be unfamiliar with private sector industry opportunities,” said Jill Huerta, Assistant Dean and Director of the Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning. “They struggle to visualize the career paths open to them and how the skills they've learned in graduate school would transfer to the private sector. They also need help identifying the skills they need to be competitive in industry internship and job searches. The employers we recruit for A2i fill in those gaps and provide critical career advice.”
A2i also helps students understand the rapidly changing industry environment. Huerta recalls a striking keynote address she heard in December 2022 by Matt Siegelman, President of Burning Glass Institute and former CEO and Chairman of Lightcast. “He said 37% of the skills required in the average occupation have been replaced in the past five years. Our industry partners help graduate students leverage foundational abilities and point them towards the specific skills industries need at the moment.”
A2i was first launched in Charlotte in Fall, 2020. Since then, over 20 career preparation sessions have been conducted with total attendance nearing 800.
Read more about Accelerate to Industry from the Reynolds Center for Graduate Life and Learning. More information on this year’s line-up of presentations is available from the A2i Fall 2024 Speakers.