Five best practices for graduate student professional development - LOLEEN BERDAHL, University Affairs Canada

Establish completion records that lead to a credential:

Universities vary in how they record participation and completion of professional skills training. Completion records include letters of completion, co-curricular records and formal micro-credentials such as badges or certificates. Formal microcredentials are seen as having the most external value, particularly if the credential identifies a specific career competency or skill of value to a future employer.

Establish a mix of elective program formats and provide open-access online resources:

Should graduate professional training be in-person, online, intensive, and/or spread over a semester? The universities I spoke with reported numerous program formats to be effective, including annual intensive professional development events, ongoing programming and half-day workshops. What can be particularly helpful is to ensure students have choices through a menu of options. Some students lack the flexibility in their schedules to attend programs or for other reasons are not able to participate. For these students, an online repository of resources, including recorded talks and trainings, is invaluable.

https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/the-skills-agenda/five-best-practices-for-graduate-student-professional-development/