Key skills training for Postdoctoral Research Staff

A succession of short term contracts often marks the early careers of contract researchers.

Training in Presenting Your Research or Research Project Management could smooth the learning curve at the outset of their career as young postdocs.

Mentoring programmes are rare and early stage researchers are expected to demonstrate mastery of their craft while learning how to manage their time, to develop constructive networking skills and managing staff "up and down" in the organisational hierarchy, perhaps for the first time in their careers.

The Roberts funding will specifically support training programmes for your research staff to develop and mature their interpersonal and managerial skills.

The recommendations are for 10 days core skills training per year.

Courses meeting Research Councils' requirements include:

• Presenting Your Research;
• Supervising Research Students;
• Research Project Management;
• Organising Time for Researchers/Time management;
• Confident Speaking at Meetings;
• How to Write an Abstract;
• How to Write a Research Paper;
• Using Creativity to Make Writing Enjoyable;
• Introduction to Management Skills for Researchers;
• Managing Pressure Positively;
• Chairing Successful Meetings;
• Imposter Syndrome Secrets.

In addition we offer a number of specialist workshops including:

• Introduction to Molecular Biology
• In situ Hybridisation - techniques and applications

Each programme can be tailored to meet the needs of your organisation, of your delegates.

The content and examples used will be directly relevant to their experience.

What key skills?

Institutions in receipt of "Roberts' funding" are expected to explain how they provide training in the following skills and how they assess its effectiveness :

• Research skills and techniques
• Research environment (academic context, standards, health and safety etc)
• Research management
• Personal effectiveness
• Communication skills
• Networking and team working
• Career management

Do contact us to discuss delivery of courses to meet your particular training needs or to complement your existing programmes for supporting postdoctoral researchers.

Do visit the Workshops page for a full list.

Please do contact me on 0208 123 0099 or by email.