Hone and Develop In-Demand Skills

Practical Information

Audience: Postdocs and research staff at Queen’s University Belfast
Date/Time: 30 April 2026 | 13:00 - 16:30
Duration: 3.5 hours
Location: Seminar Room, First Floor, 63 University Road
Organised by: Postdoctoral Development Centre (PDC) and Ulster University

Overview

Understanding the wide range of career opportunities available and the skills that employers value most is a key part of successful career development. Gaining insight into various sectors, roles, and future trends can help you make informed decisions, set meaningful personal goals, and confidently plan your next steps.

This interactive workshop is designed to expand your awareness of potential career pathways while equipping you with the knowledge and tools to develop highly sought-after skills.

In this workshop, you will explore:

Career Clusters: Discover how industries are grouped into career clusters and learn how your interests, strengths, and values align with different sectors and roles.
In-Demand Skills: Identify the key skills employers are looking for and learn practical ways to develop them. This includes:
- Effective communication
- Project management
- Leadership and teamwork
- Commercial awareness and business insight
Creativity in Every Career: Understand what it truly means to be creative, regardless of your chosen field. Learn how creativity drives innovation, problem-solving, and adaptability in all professions.
Growth Mindset: Develop a mindset that supports continuous learning and resilience. Discover how embracing challenges, learning from feedback, and staying adaptable can unlock long-term success.

By the end of the session, you will feel more confident in identifying your strengths, developing essential skills, and taking proactive steps toward your future career.

Numbers are restricted to 20 on this course and places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event of oversubscription, we will keep a waiting list. If you are unable to attend for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible so that your place can be allocated to the next person on the waiting list.

This course has been organised as part of the Research Culture NI project, generously funded by the Wellcome Trust.

If you want to be notified of future events, please email pdc@qub.ac.uk.

Registration

Facilitator

Jill Wright | Research Careers and Employability Officer, QUB

Jill is Research Careers and Employability Officer within the Research Culture team at Queen's University Belfast, as part of the Wellcome-funded Research Culture NI project. Her role involves preparing postdocs across both Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University for future career transitions through delivering a suite of training and development opportunities to enhance skills and helping postdocs explore alternate career paths outside of academia, supporting them with job applications and interview preparation. Her role also involves engaging with employers across NI who are employers of postdocs and those that are new to the conversation to promote the talent pool of postdocs that we have in Northern Ireland across our two universities.

Before joining the Research Culture team in June 2024, Jill worked in the private sector and brings with her extensive experience in early career development as well as running employability programmes in partnership with government bodies and local higher education institutions. Jill has established relationships with Queens and Ulster as a previous key graduate employer.

Feedback

Not yet available (New Course for 2026/27)