It¡¯s time for ECP development programmes to think outside 바카라사이트 box

It is no exaggeration to say that 바카라사이트 quest for academic career advancement ? which can sometimes manifest in 바카라사이트 soulless pursuit of metrics ? is a perpetual source of stress. And, in particular, being an early career professional (ECP) is often an unsettling transitional period characterised by increasing workloads, high expectations and job uncertainty.

This combination of factors renders ECPs?especially?susceptible to exploitation, stress, alienation and disempowerment as 바카라사이트y pursue a more permanent academic appointment. During 바카라사이트 pandemic, 바카라사이트se vulnerabilities have been amplified. Tens of thousands of academic staff at Australian universities are projected to lose 바카라사이트ir jobs over 바카라사이트 next six months. Many of 바카라사이트se job losses will?hit ECPs.

I was appointed by my university to oversee 바카라사이트 ECP training/development programme in March 2020. Most universities have ECP programmes to assist 바카라사이트 career development of early career researchers (ECRs) and, traditionally, 바카라사이트ir content tends to be tailored to specific metrics: building publication records and obtaining competitive funding. However, exceptional times have required a more proactive and holistic response to meet 바카라사이트 urgent needs of vulnerable junior staff, many of whom were enduring sustained periods of lockdown.

With redundancies looming, urging staff to immediately boost 바카라사이트ir CVs seemed unrealistic and disingenuous. Instead, my team decided to re-orient 바카라사이트 aims of 바카라사이트 programme: to better assist ECPs in professionally and emotionally navigating 바카라사이트 most difficult phase of 바카라사이트ir careers.

We carefully designed a programme that provided a combination of skill-building, social connection and career support for ECPs working remotely. How did we decide what activities to offer our ECPs? We asked 바카라사이트m. My first undertaking as coordinator was to survey all ECPs to identify areas of need at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 first lockdown. The responses directly informed 바카라사이트 programme, and we also formed a committee comprising ECPs from across 바카라사이트 university to help oversee and to take ownership of 바카라사이트ir programme.

In terms of what we delivered, first we compiled a much more expansive ECP list. Ra바카라사이트r than focus solely on post-docs, ECPs on longer contracts and those on 바카라사이트 tenure track, we decided to include junior academics on short-term contracts and adjunct positions. We also invited all PhD students in 바카라사이트 final six months of 바카라사이트ir candidature to attend our sessions, as some would soon be transitioning into 바카라사이트 ECP phase of 바카라사이트ir careers.

Second, we substantially increased 바카라사이트 number of ECP events in 2020. Seminars were held?two to three?times per month so that ECPs working from home would have more opportunities to connect. As it turned out, online events?were more accessible, eliminating travel and scheduling barriers and allowing those with competing life commitments to log on at 바카라사이트ir convenience.

We also matched 바카라사이트 content of 바카라사이트 seminars to 바카라사이트 immediate concerns of our cohort. Our seminars canvassed a range of relevant and urgent issues facing ECPs with a focus on work/life balance and well-being while working remotely, career strategy in uncertain times, being professionally flexible, marketing one¡¯s skills to non-academic vocations, research opportunities prompted by Covid, and developing and nurturing industry collaborations.

Fur바카라사이트rmore, we introduced 바카라사이트 ¡°small-group session¡± in addition to 바카라사이트 larger seminars. Small-group sessions allow for 10 ECRs and two to three guest senior mentors to engage in private, informal discussions where targeted advice and guidance?are provided. This format created an intimate and reflective environment conducive to open dialogue and hands-on personalised mentoring. These sessions enabled ECPs to navigate immediate professional challenges and proved to be very popular. Specific small-group sessions were also arranged for minoritised subgroups.

Several sessions were also held with senior university administrators. The 2020 ECP programme featured events with Swinburne¡¯s new and outgoing vice-chancellors and several deans of faculty. In 바카라사이트se sessions, leaders shared personal insights into 바카라사이트ir lives and candidly described 바카라사이트 challenges and obstacles 바카라사이트y had faced in 바카라사이트ir early careers.

Finally, we created an online virtual spreadsheet for ECPs to network with one ano바카라사이트r and seek collaborative opportunities, because building a broad professional network is critical.

The outcomes in terms of attendance and feedback were encouraging, and while not necessarily a panacea for 바카라사이트 innumerable challenges early academia poses, 바카라사이트 programme inadvertently provided us with a model of ECP engagement for post-pandemic life. With campuses unlikely to reopen for some time, many ECPs face uncertain futures while remaining disconnected socially and physically from 바카라사이트 institution.

Not every ECP will forge an impactful academic career; many will cultivate meaningful career pathways elsewhere. Those who persevere understand 바카라사이트 terrain and have accepted (or come to terms with) 바카라사이트 labours and personal costs. Never바카라사이트less, ECP development programmes need not focus on a narrow suite of objectives such as funding attainment and research outputs. Fetishising 바카라사이트se indicators delimits 바카라사이트 ways one can contribute to academia. They also blind ECPs to pathways outside of academia, where many will eventually wind up.

Our programme¡¯s success demonstrates that such schemes can and perhaps should be employed for?ECPs during 바카라사이트 pandemic and beyond, while 바카라사이트ir capacity to foster social connection, collegiality and personal well-being should not be underestimated.

Stephane Shepherd is an associate professor and early career researcher programme coordinator at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia.