A2i/Accelerate to Industry
Graduate Division is also proud to offer Career Explorations, a web-based hiring platform exclusively for UCI Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars. Click here to join Career Explorations.
With A2i, graduate students can explore the ample employment opportunities with industry companies here in Orange county, and across the US. They can develop the business, leadership, and communication skills, or key competencies that companies seek. Click here for key competencies.
Our Mission
- Prepare UCI graduate students and postdocs for the wide range of available industry careers
- Help our graduate students secure internships and careers in industry
- Build a program that serves as a touch point for more long-term collaborative relationships between industry and UC Irvine
John Huang | Associate Director and Site Executive Raytheon | An RTX Business
"UCI provides one of the best in class scholars and graduate student talent for the industry. UCI Graduate Division's A2i (Accelerate to Industry) is an excellent program that prepares graduate students for real world experience."
A2i Modules
These modules offer you the opportunity to engage with A2i at all stages of your graduate career. We recommend starting with Industry Job Search Strategies early and finishing with Industry Immersion as you complete your degree. We will be launching our A2i Pilot program Fall 2023 and focusing on a pilot cohort of 45 PhD students and postdocs that are nearing degree completion. Click here to apply to be part of our pilot cohort.
Job Search Strategies (JSS) is comprised of two parts: talks from industry speakers and workshops led by the director of A2i and other professional development experts. Topics covered in this module include: career exploration, business communication, application materials, interviewing, salary negotiations, networking, informational interviews, and corporate culture. JSS’s speakers and workshops frequently change so students can benefit from taking this module multiple times.
JSS will be offered as a pilot program in the fall of 2023. Click here to apply. Deadline is August 15, 2023.
Students in all stages of their graduate program participate in this module. Industry speakers come from a variety of industries including private sector, non-profit, and government.
We selectively recruit graduate and postdoctoral researchers in response to each company’s specific recruitment needs. Our recruitment methods ensure that participants in the site visit are interested in building their careers with the respective company.
This module establishes opportunities for industry companies to work directly with UC Irvine Graduate Division for recruitment. We recruit outstanding candidates who match internship criteria, and we prepare application portfolios to assist company liaisons with the selection process.
This practicum is a 6-to-12-week development series during which UC Irvine graduate students and postdocs learn to leverage their technical backgrounds and creativity to move ideas and projects forward as a part of a cross-disciplinary team. Each partnering company will work with a multidisciplinary team on a project that is relevant to the company. Moreover, we recruit the team members in response to the company’s needs.
This is an intensive experiential learning opportunity that prepares UC Irvine graduate students, postdocs, and alumni for the corporate environment. The Accelerate to Industry Immersion module includes a week-long immersion experience for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers that includes signature A2i content along with events and activities unique to the Immersion Week. Coming to UCI in the summer of 2024.
Lilit Davtyan, CEO of Phonexa:
"I've experienced the UCI Grad Slam first hand as a judge, and it's refreshing to see the remarkable research that graduate students are leading, and the university is enabling. The event leaves participants inspired and connected, and it shows how important it is to support academic excellence and innovation. At Phonexa, we've globally grown our performance marketing software to a staff of over 200 partly due to recent graduates who are bringing new solutions to old problems. Schools like UCI who support entrepreneurial educational experiences are imperative to the workforce integration and professional development of students, as well enabling a talent pipeline to help further grow companies who are leading the charge with innovative solutions in their respective industries."
Our Pilot Partners
Thank you to our current industry partners: Phonexa, Cie, Raytheon, Leonid, Altura, Edwards Lifesciences, Rachio, Orange County Business Journal, and growing!
Lance Holman | President & CEO Holman Capital
"UCI Graduate Division is building bridges within the Orange County business community by identifying the specific needs for the business and connecting them to the best talent for mentoring, interning, and hiring."