Did You Know You Could do a PhD…And Get Paid for It?

What a paid, industry-partnered PhD actually involves.

This article is presented in partnership with CSIRO.

When most undergrad students hear PhD they may think: years of studying, lots of debt and a future that isn’t set in stone.

But what if you could get paid to do a PhD and cement your future career?

We spoke to Aiko who is doing her PhD through CSIRO, researching atmospheric chemistry and how it relates to agricultural practices.

She spoke to Student Edge about her decision to undertake a PhD and why it was the best choice for her.

Why did Aiko want to undertake a PhD?

For Aiko, science has always been her passion and so it made sense for her to expand her horizons.

“The reason I wanted to do a PhD is, it makes a lot of sense for people that are in science and want to pursue science further,” she told Student Edge.

“Especially in terms of research.

“So I think just based on my field, a PhD made a lot of sense.”

What people don’t know about completing a PhD.

A PhD may feel like you need to have the smarts. But Aiko shares that it’s really about dedication.

“I think a lot of people have the preconceived notion that to do a PhD you have to be like, super duper smart,” she said.

“It has a lot more to do with, I guess your work ethic and self-discipline.

“It’s about waking up every day and choosing to do the same thing that you did yesterday for four years.”

Somehow this makes undertaking a PhD sound way more doable!

Plus, what a lot of people don’t know is that you can get paid while undertaking your PhD.

And take it from us – it is really helpful to have a wage while studying your passion.

Why CSIRO?

“I've said this to a lot of my friends, actually, if you're considering to do a PhD, I think doing it with CSIRO makes a lot of sense if you're not, super hung up on the specific field or topic that you're working on,” Aiko told us.

“I think it gives you a very different perspective to doing a purely university based PhD, because you don't necessarily get to talk to people that are going to be benefiting at the end from whatever it is you're working on.

“And it gives you a completely different perspective of research.”

If science is your calling like Aiko, CSIRO also offer access to research resources for professional development and they provide equipment you might need.

This is especially useful if you’re someone who values the practical side of learning as well as the academic.

CSIRO also have professional development courses which feature topics such as how to present your research, how to pitch your research, or writing journal articles.

What’s next for Aiko.

One thing Aiko feels good about is that her PhD has opened up her skillset so no matter what she chooses to do next she has plenty of options.

“I think having an industry based post-op position is probably my highest goal,” Aiko told Student Edge.

“I think working overseas would be pretty cool as well.

“There’s a couple years left for me to go and I’ll have to see what the job market is like but I’m open to anything and I believe that the skills that I’ll have will give me plenty of options as well.”

If you’re a domestic student looking to learn more about a PhD or maybe you’re already ready to take the next step, head to CSIRO to find out more!