Careers and Employability 10 ECTS PhD Module

Welcome to Trinity Careers Service's modules for PhD students, offering you practical supports and guidance for career planning and personal development. The module comprises one day of in-person workshops on January 15th 2025, and the remainder of the module content is released on Blackboard for self-directed learning over the following weeks. It also supports you to prepare for, and reflect on, a self-sourced 100 hour Work-Based Learning opportunity. There is a Skills Audit Tool and a reflective Personal Development Plan and to support your learning throughout the module.

Whether you are aspiring to a career in academia or industry, this module is designed to help you with your next steps. By the end of these modules, you'll have honed critical reflection skills in the context of your career, developed your career path, developed networking skills to build connections with your PhD peers, alumni and employers, and engaged in and reflected upon a work-based learning experience.

Why is this module important?

Listen to this podcast with Orla Bannon, Director of Careers, in conversation with Prossie Nambatya, PhD student, School of Law and Dale Whelehan, PhD student, School of Medicine (33:40 mins)

Module Description

The module comprises one day of in-person workshops on January 15th 2025, and the remainder of the module content is released on Blackboard for self-directed learning over the following weeks. Please see the student handbook and timetable below for full details. There is a Skills Audit Tool and a reflective Personal Development Plan to be completed before the first workshop to support your participation at the in-person workshop and to support your learning throughout the module. There are also a range of assignments to be completed as you progress through the module – see the module handbook and timetable below for further information. The workshops are in three streams – Careers, Skills and Work-Based Learning– and cover the following topics:

1. Careers Stream
   • Designing your Career (recorded online)
   • Navigating the Emotions of Planning and Managing your Career (recorded online)
2. Skills Stream
   • Mapping Skills onto Career Options (face-to-face)
   • The Art and Craft of a great CV and Writing an Effective Cover Letter (recorded online)
   • Networking with Confidence (face-to-face)
   • Presenting your Best Self at Interview (recorded online)
   • Intercultural Competence and the Global Workplace (recorded online)
3. Work-based Learning Stream (10 ECTS module only)
   • Preparing for your Work-based Learning Experience (recorded online)
   • Reflecting on your Work-based Learning Experience (recorded online)
   • Complete 100 hours Work-based Learning in the form of a mini internship, a consulting project or another suitable experience

Interested in applying?

These modules will be open for registration in November 2025 and will start in January 2026. All Trinity PhD students will be emailed once the modules are open. There is no need to register in advance.

If you have any questions about the application process, you can send an email to postgrad.careers@tcd.ie and we will reply as soon as possible.