Beyond PhD (DESY)

Beyond PhD - Bridging Academic Talent and Industry Opportunities

Beyond PhD is a project at DESY focused on supporting PhD graduates and postdocs in their transition from academic research into industry.

The project was initiated in response to a common challenge: many highly qualified early-career researchers possess outstanding academic and technical expertise, yet often have limited visibility into career paths beyond the scientific system.

To address this gap, the project developed a structured concept for career orientation and transition support. This included systematically assessing needs, conducting market analyses, interviewing relevant stakeholders, and evaluating existing support formats in order to design viable models for professional orientation beyond academia.

A central focus of Beyond PhD was the development of sustainable formats that connect scientific qualification profiles with industry requirements. In this way, the project created a framework in which PhDs and postdocs can reflect on their skills in relation to non-academic career fields, identify suitable professional profiles, and prepare strategically for transitions into relevant company environments.

Beyond PhD makes an important contribution to career orientation in science-related contexts by combining self-assessment, labor market understanding, and strategic career planning. The approach is especially relevant for workshops with PhD candidates and postdocs because it goes beyond general career guidance and directly addresses the specific situation of academically qualified target groups.

‍

‍

‍