Q2 – Student entrepreneurship

A student-driven initiative

Q2 is a new arm of the Institut quantique, aiming to steer the quantum graduate training towards a better student-job-market fit. Q2’s value proposition is

To offer help, support and information about employment in the quantum technology sector in Quebec by creating links with industry and promoting entrepreneurship.

This targets the problem of a poor job-market fit by making students aware of the reality of the job market as early as possible in their academic education and providing new models of alternative career paths. We will also work towards incorporating the entrepreneurial mindset into the students’ thought process.

An overlooked problematic

IQ students approaching the end of their graduate academic program face an important decision: stay in academia or choose an alternative career path. Although this choice is naturally oriented in larger proportion towards academia, it is also greatly constrained by the amount of available concrete work opportunities. In Q2’s opinion, any effort towards ensuring a better student-job-market fit should start from understanding the dynamics and motivations of both industry and academia, and favoring the exchange between these parties. We are confident that, by enabling greater collaboration and an eventual transformation of the academic offer, IQ will provide the tools that students need to succeed and drive diverse career paths towards excellence.

Scope of our work

Inform about the job market

Q2 will evolve as a student-driven project while being led by the IQ research coordinator. Our first task is to bring advice and new insights from the job market to IQ students.

Create concrete links with industry and promote entrepreneurship

We have created a new seminar series that will host actors in the quantum technology sector from numerous backgrounds. This initiative will show success stories that followed a track different than the usual academic one, giving students a better understanding of the possibilities in front of them and more ideas with which to craft their own future.

Join us – Take part in shaping your future

To participate in our efforts, start by contacting us at Q2@Usherbrooke.ca. You can also follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Q2atIQ.