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Training & Onboarding

Welcome to the Incubator’s training hub. Here you’ll find resources to help mentors, IPMC members, PPMC members, and committers learn their roles and responsibilities.

Start with your role, path, or browse the shared resources below.

New mentors, it’s suggested you begin at the Mentor Path or Mentor Essentials Path.== Role-based learning paths

Choose resources tailored to your current role or the role you’re preparing for.

  • Mentor Path — start here if you are, or plan to become, an Apache Incubator mentor

  • IPMC Path — guidance and resources for members of the Incubator PMC

  • PPMC Path — orientation and best practices for new Podling PMC members

  • Committer Path — essential information for podling committers joining the ASF community

Path-based learning paths

Each path links to a focused selection of guides, slide decks, videos, and scenarios that can be completed in about 30 to 60 minutes. They can be used for self-study or as part of structured onboarding and review.

  • Mentor Essentials Path - Build confidence in core mentoring practices: expectations, communication on lists, balancing autonomy and support, and common early podling issues.

  • Podling Startup Path - Kickstart a new podling: ASF culture, reporting rhythm, initial governance setup, podling website/branding basics, and first-milestone planning.

  • Release Readiness Path - Prepare an ASF-compliant release: artifacts, LICENSE/NOTICE checks, voting steps, publishing, and post-release follow-ups.

  • IPMC Oversight Path - Strengthen oversight: reading signals in reports, spotting risks early, consistent review practices, and aligning feedback with ASF policy.

Shared Resources

Cross-role references you can dip into at any time for deeper detail or quick refreshers.

  • All Resources — complete list of all Incubator training materials in one place

  • All Resources by Stage — browse resources by phase of incubation, from proposal to graduation

  • Guides & Documentation — detailed reference guides, onboarding materials, and best practices

  • Slide Decks — presentation slides for workshops, onboarding sessions, and mentoring discussions

  • Videos — short explainers and recorded sessions introducing key incubation concepts

  • Quizzes — self-check questions to reinforce learning about ASF culture and incubation topics

  • Scenarios & Exercises — interactive situations to practice real-world decision-making

  • Case Studies — real examples of podlings’ incubation journeys, outcomes, and lessons learned

  • Mentoring in Practice — interactive, story-based exercises to help mentors explore real-world incubation challenges

See also: About this section