Australian doctoral graduates’ career transition from academia to industry: the PCAP internship competence framework.

PhD graduates often face significant hurdles when shifting from academic research to industry positions. Challenges can arise from a disconnect between the skill sets developed in university and those prized in industry settings. To address this issue, this study examines the crucial competences necessary for PhD graduates to make a successful transition from academia to industry. Grounded in Competency-Based Theory (CBT), the research involved qualitative data collection through semi-structured interviews with 26 participants from the Australian Postgraduate Research Intern program. The paper proposes the PCAP framework as an innovative tool for managing PhD internships. It delineates four interactive clusters of competences: PhD competences (P), Contextual competences (C), Adaptation competences (A), and Project Management competences (P). The paper argues that proficiency across these interactive clusters is indispensable for PhD graduates aiming for a seamless transition into industry roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]