# Professional Development

**Source**: https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/postdoctoral-fellows/current-fellows/professional-development/
**Parent**: https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/postdoctoral-fellows/current-fellows/

[Home](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies) » [Postdoctoral Fellows](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/postdoctoral-fellows/) » [Current Fellows](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/postdoctoral-fellows/current-fellows/) » Professional Development

## Mentorship and Affiliations

Postdoctoral Fellows at York benefit from the mentorship of their faculty supervisor(s) and from others in their departments and in other research units. Postdoctoral Fellows are also encouraged to connect with research centres and institutes focusing on research related to their research areas.

- Connecting with these units can provide valuable opportunities to network, participate in research events and possibly become an official affiliate.
- A list of [research centres and institutes](http://research.info.yorku.ca/organized-research-units/) at York can be found on the website for the Vice-President of Research & Innovation.
- If you have questions and/or concerns about supervision and mentorship, it can be useful to connect with the national group [CAPS (Canadian Association of Postdoctoral Scholars)](http://www.caps-acsp.ca/).

## Workshops and Events

In addition to the mentorship of supervisors and other faculty members, York University offers professional development opportunities and events to Postdoctoral Fellows that enrich professional development and allow opportunities for community building and networking across the postdoctoral community at York.

- The Faculty of Graduate Studies' [Individualized Development Plan (IDP)](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/idp-postdoc/) is a tool to assist postdoctoral researchers in identifying and developing their goals during their fellowship. It is designed to provide a framework for encouraging active participation among postdocs in professional skills training and career management over the course of their postdoctoral position.
- The Faculty of Graduate Studies **Graduate and Postdoctoral Professional Skills program** offers graduate students and postdoctoral fellows skills development workshops and sessions designed based on input and feedback from the communities they serve. Please consult the [Graduate and Postdoctoral Professional Skills](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/graduate-postdoctoral-professional-skills-gpps/) website on a regular basis for workshops/sessions applicable to you.
- Professional development events and opportunities will also be listed in the monthly Postdoctoral Fellows edition of the **FGSnews** newsletter, which distributes information about funding, events, and opportunities of interest to our postdoctoral community. (If you do not receive this newsletter and would like to be added to the distribution list, please contact the [Postdoctoral Services & Professional Skills Coordinator](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/contact/fgs-staff-directory/#academic-affairs).
- Postdoctoral Fellows are also encouraged to regularly check the **Mitacs Training** website for information about upcoming [Mitacs Workshops](https://www.mitacs.ca/discover-students/). The program offers free workshops taught by professionals which are structured around cultivating and improving important professional skills.
- Resources and workshops related to teaching are listed on the website of [York’s Teaching Commons](http://teachingcommons.yorku.ca/).
- **York University Libraries** (YUL) hosts the **Learning Commons**, which offers regular academic support [services and workshops](http://learningcommons.yorku.ca/).
- The **Career Centre** offers [resources and workshops](http://careers.yorku.ca/) related to job search and professional development.

## Research Proposals and Applications

Postdoctoral Fellows are frequently involved in the preparation of proposals for research grants and in other forms of acquiring research support. The degree of involvement by the Postdoctoral Fellow in these processes, and the level of supervision offered by the supervising faculty member, varies widely. Beyond the support offered by the supervising faculty member and the academic unit, additional support and information about available research funding are available from the [Postdoctoral Services & Professional Skills Coordinator](https://www.yorku.ca/gradstudies/contact/fgs-staff-directory/#academic-affairs) and from the website of the [Office of Research Services](https://www.yorku.ca/research/research-services/).

## Connect with FGS