EURAXESS Luxembourg Mentoring Programme

Welcome to our mentoring programme for young researchers in Luxembourg!

WHY 2GETTHERE?

Pursuing an academic career will not be an option for all promising PhD candidates and postdocs working at research institutions in Luxembourg. Our country’s powerful economy is on the other side continuously seeking talent. Though Luxembourg is among the most attractive countries in the world when it comes to talents (see GTCI 2021), we think it is important to retain highly skilled workers who appreciate its living and working conditions and want to continue bringing value to our country. That’s why we launched 2getthere – a progamme designed to support early stage researchers on their way to transitioning into a non-academic career in Luxembourg.

HOW TO GET THERE?

Regular exchanges between mentors and mentees over six months
Two career building workshops (compulsory)
Career talks by PhD holders now working outside academia in Luxembourg
(optional series “My way – your way?” in collaboration with DSAiL, the Doctoral Students’ Association in Luxembourg

WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE TOGETHER?

Supporting young researchers in their reflection about career goals, competencies and professional options
Facilitating their transition from an academic to a non-academic career
Promoting the great potential of candidates with a research background for positions outside academia
Building a vibrant network of professionals with interest in supporting early stage researchers to advance their careers in the non-academic sector

Mentors
Mentees

“We rise by lifting others”

– Robert Ingersoll –

2GETTHERE WOULD BE HONOURED TO HAVE YOU IF …

you are a professional working in Luxembourg (in industry, for the government, for an NGO, as CEO of your own startup, as science journalist etc.) and possibly even know from your own experience the challenges researchers might face when trying to pursue their career outside academia?
The field you are now working in or your current job being science / technology related is not a determining factor. What makes you a fit for 2getthere is your dedication to guiding others with your experience and opening doors, by this helping them tremendously to find a job that matches their skills and ambitions – a job that will prove them right to have left the academic path.

YOU ARE STILL UNDECIDED?

Let’s try with these arguments…

By becoming a mentor, you have the chance to change more than one life: Inspiring exchanges with smart young researchers holding different views and knowledge might leave a lasting impression. Moreover, as an active member of the 2getthere community you will make enriching acquaintances among the mentors and mentees of the programme.
No one is born a mentor. You will get professional support to fulfill your role in line with your expectations. All mentors will have a training (in English) before starting mentoring sessions and can seek support whenever needed during the programme.

We estimated that the time commitment is approximately 12 hours over six months.

Can we count on you? Please reach out to us under: 2getthere.euraxess@uni.lu

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. “

– African proverb –

2GETTHERE WOULD BE A FIT FOR YOU IF …

you are a PhD candidate in the 3rd or 4th year of your doctorate, a recently graduated PhD, or a postdoc at University of Luxembourg (incl. SnT, LCSB and C2DH), LIH, LIST, LISER, MPI, LNS and are looking for a job
you want to broaden your knowledge about your career options beyond academia (in Luxembourg)
you want to feel prepared for upcoming job applications and interviews

DOES THIS SOUND LIKE A PROGRAMME FOR YOU? LET US KNOW!
WE ARE GLAD TO COLLECT YOUR INTEREST IN A NEXT EDITION THROUGH 2getthere@uni.lu .

Calendar of activities of our pilot
(closed)

APPLICATION AND MATCHING PHASE (January – March 2022)

Identification and recruitment of mentors with open call for mentors (until 11^th February 2022)
Open call for PhD candidates and freshly graduated Luxembourg based PhDs as mentees (until 18^th February 2022)
Mentor-mentee pairing based on interests and ideally desired professional background/experience

KICK-OFF PHASE (March / April 2022)

Getting ready for mentoring meetings, including a guidance workshop for mentors and a 1st career building workshop for mentees

MENTORING PHASE (April – September 2022)

Meetings of mentoring pairs with an average of once per month (6 meetings).
2nd career building workshop for mentees
Ad hoc networking meetings
Regular career talks by former researchers now working in industry, public administration, as freelancers etc. excited to share with our mentees their career path as well as recommendations what to expect and how to succeed outside academia
Closing event for the whole 2getthere community to exchange experiences and recommendations

2getthere News

A background in academia is an asset for firms to understand the need to innovate

Raymond Adam, an R&D and Laboratory Manager at Michelman, acted as mentor in the framework of the 2getthere mentoring programme. To him, research is much needed in the future for the European industry,

Highlighting the strong network of mentoring advocates in Luxembourg

On 26 September 2022, EURAXESS Luxembourg gathered mentors, mentees and supporters at an event to discuss the opportunities and challenges of the transition to non-academia and to celebrate this network of mentoring advocates.

What opportunities are there for PhDs in the labour market?

Sean Sapcariu from the Luxembourg National Research Fund acted as a mentor within the EURAXESS Luxembourg 2getthere programme. To him, PhD candidates have many opportunities in non-academia.

What to do at the end of my research contract?

Early-career researchers face stiff competition for limited faculty vacancies. They also face a time limit linked to temporary contracts.This context provided the backdrop for EURAXESS Luxembourg and the Agence pour le développement de l'emploi (ADEM) to jointly hold an information session on unemployment rights.

Coaching is about supporting people in making decisions or choices

PhD graduates are increasingly moving into careers outside of academia. Navigating out of it involves being clear on the direction to take while translating your strengths and skills to a non-academic audience. Coaching appears to be the right answer to support the transition.

Working for private companies is valuable for PhDs

The job market in Luxembourg is booming. Its private sector is always looking for highly skilled profiles, and PhDs are particularly attuned to recruiters. Case in point: Túlio Pascoal has just found a job as a Cyber Security & Privacy Consultant.

In the industry, soft skills mean more than a high h-index’

According to mentor Ralph Useldinger, a high academic degree proves that the person is able to independently conduct an investigation and to come to logical conclusions.

Luxembourg offers promising career development opportunities for PhDs in economics

Alper Unsal is a PhD candidate in economics at the Luxembourg Institute for Socio-Economic Research (LISER) aiming to get a job in the non-academic sector in Luxembourg.

Hiring PhDs both sustains and enhances the mission and growth of an organisation

Straddling the line between academia and non academia, mentee Lindie van der Westhuizen is willing to apply her skills and knowledge to private employers in Luxembourg.

"Landing your first post-PhD job"

An interactive application training held by the Team Leader Recruitment of the University of Luxembourg prepared our mentees for their job search on the Luxembourg labour market. We've summarised some key points for you...

Impressions of eve