This section covers much of what happens through the 3 years of a PhD, describing the various parts of the training that a research student receives during that time, both formally and - often more successfully - informally, through being in a research institute like the Observatory. Communication skills are an important part of the scientist's armoury and these skills, enabling one to present a coherent and convincing argument, either in writing or orally, are amongst those which must be developed during postgraduate research.