Skill Development

Have you noticed that there's more to a PhD than the production of a thesis? Have you thought about what your PhD will mean to a potential employer, especially one that isn't directly interested in your field of research?

During your research you will develop a range of different skills and have the opportunity to practice others. The Graduate Training Unit (GTU) exists to support you in developing these skills. The University supports you in focussing on developing generic or 'transferable' skills by protecting ten days for every year of full time PhD registration for this purpose. The University expects you to gain 180 points while completing your PhD, with some departments expecting you to have completed the majority by your upgrade assessment. You will be awarded points through completion of courses

Some opportunities will be provided by your department, some development will occur outside the university (have you thought about the skills you develop by, say, contributing to the executive committee of a student society, or managing a team in your part-time job?), and there is a range of courses provided by the GTU and the Computing Service. You can keep track of your own development by using The Skills Forge - an online personal development planning tool designed here at York - and find out more about skills development and courses by looking at the GTU website.

Click on the links below to access Skills Forge, GTU, and Computing Service:

• The Skills Forge
• The GTU
• The Computing Service Courses