A2i+: Expanding Career Training for non-STEM Graduate Students and Postdocs

In today’s rapidly evolving job market, graduate students and postdocs need more than just advanced academic knowledge to succeed—they need the skills, experience, and connections that will help them transition seamlessly from the classroom to the workforce. For STEM students, programs like Accelerate to Industry (A2i) have been instrumental in bridging that gap, providing tailored career support and real-world experience. Now, the North Carolina State University Graduate School is proud to announce an exciting new initiative—A2i+—designed to extend the same level of support to graduate students in the humanities, social sciences, and education fields.

A Bold New Expansion for Non-STEM Graduate Students

The A2i program, which has helped STEM graduate students develop the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in industry, has been an essential resource at NC State for the past six years. Now, with A2i+, the Graduate School’s Professional Development team is expanding its reach to more than 2,000 graduate students in fields like history, sociology, education, and more. We are excited to bring in more employers that are represented by government and nonprofit organizations.

The foundation of A2i+ builds upon the success of A2i, with a focus on four key areas that are essential to professional growth:

• Career awareness – Helping students explore diverse career options.
• Skill development – Identifying gaps in knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) and providing targeted learning.
• Experiential learning – Offering real-world opportunities to apply skills, explore potential career paths, and gain valuable work experience.
• Mentorship – Connecting students with industry professionals who can offer guidance and support.

Key Components of A2i+

A2i+ launched in Spring 2025 with a focus on three key modules, adapted to meet the specific career needs of non-STEM graduate students. Here’s a breakdown of the primary components:

• Career Insights (formerly Industry Insights)
  • The first module in A2i+ is “Career Insights,” an adaptation of “Industry Insights” focused on a more holistic approach to career readiness for all graduate students and postdocs. Through this module, there will be increased representation of speakers to include those from government agencies, non-profit organizations, and other relevant sectors. These professionals will provide valuable insights into the career opportunities available to humanities, social sciences, and education graduates. A2i+ will tailor these sessions to address the needs of both students and employers and help students better understand potential career paths and what employers are seeking.
• Immersion Week
  • One of the standout features of A2i is its “Immersion Week,” a high-impact experience that allows graduate students to immerse themselves in real-world scenarios through workshops, resume feedback sessions, and panel discussions with industry professionals. A2i+ carried this tradition forward with Immersion Week in the Spring of 2025 focusing on the key competencies that all graduate students and postdocs, regardless of their major, can leverage when transitioning to careers outside of academia. Additionally, there was and will continue to have an increased focus on government and non-profit sectors. Participants had the opportunity to attend interactive workshops, gain feedback on their resumes and practice their interview skills, and hear from experts during panel discussions. In addition, a career fair was held to further help students make professional connections.

Collaborative Partnerships: A Key to Success

The success of A2i+ relies heavily on collaboration—between the Graduate School’s Professional Development team, faculty members, and external industry, government, and non-profit partners. To ensure that the program addresses the specific needs of non-STEM graduate students, the Professional Development team has consulted extensively with faculty in the humanities, social sciences, and education fields. There has been overwhelming interest in A2i+ from faculty members, who are eager to partner with the Graduate School to provide more robust career development opportunities for their students. By forming these collaborative relationships, A2i+ will enhance its offerings and ensure that the program is tailored to the unique skill sets and career interests of all students. 

If you represent a company, government agency, or non-profit that is interested in participating in our programming, we invite you to join the A2i+ initiative. Together, we can create pathways for all graduate students and postdocs to thrive in careers that benefit from their expertise. To learn more about how your organization can get involved, please reach out to our Director of Career Readiness, Kelly Rownd, at kmrownd@ncsu.edu.

Let’s work together to build strong career pathways and create lasting, impactful opportunities for graduate students.

Looking Ahead

The launch of A2i+ is an exciting milestone for NC State’s Graduate School. By expanding its high-impact programming to include non-STEM graduate students, the Professional Development team is helping to ensure that all graduate students—regardless of their field of study—have access to the resources, experiences, and opportunities they need to build successful careers.