# LFX Mentorship Program

CloudNativePG, as a CNCF project, proudly supports the
[LFX Mentorship Program](https://lfx.linuxfoundation.org/tools/mentorship/)
by the Linux Foundation.

This page lists the accepted CloudNativePG mentorship projects and provides
resources for current mentees, prospective applicants, and contributors
interested in getting involved.

Each mentorship project spans **12 weeks** and is designed to be a **full-time
learning opportunity**, requiring significant commitment and dedication from
mentees.

*Note:* we use the
["LFX Mentorship" label](https://github.com/cloudnative-pg/cloudnative-pg/issues?q=is%3Aissue%20state%3Aopen%20label%3A%22LFX%20Mentorship%22)
to classify issues and pull requests.

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## Current Mentorship Programs

We are still planning our proposals for the [next LFX Mentorship Program (2026, term 3 March-May)](https://github.com/cncf/mentoring/tree/main/programs/lfx-mentorship/2026/01-Mar-May).

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If you’re interested in applying for a future term, we recommend preparing in
the areas outlined below.

| Year | Term        | Project                                                                                                                                                    | Mentee                                   |
| ---- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| 2026 | 1 (Mar-May) | TODO |
-->

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## Past Mentorship Programs

| Year | Term        | Project                                                                                                                                                    | Mentee                                   |
| ---- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| 2025 | 3 (Sep–Nov) | [Chaos Testing](https://mentorship.lfx.linuxfoundation.org/project/0858ce07-0c90-47fa-a1a0-95c6762f00ff)                                                   | [Yash Agarwal](https://github.com/xploy04) |
| 2025 | 3 (Sep–Nov) | [Rebuild documentation for multi-version support with Docusaurus](https://mentorship.lfx.linuxfoundation.org/project/86a647c1-88c7-474f-b093-6abb58197083) | [Anushka Saxena](https://www.linkedin.com/in/-anushka-saxena/) |
| 2025 | 2 (Jun–Aug) | [Declarative Management of PostgreSQL FDWs](https://mentorship.lfx.linuxfoundation.org/project/53fa853e-b5fa-4d68-be71-f005c75aea89)                       | [Ying Zhu](https://github.com/EdwinaZhu) |

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## Applying to the Mentorship

We’re excited that you’re considering applying for the mentorship programme! To
give yourself the best chance, here are some tips to help you prepare a strong
application and move smoothly through the process:

- **Start with a thoughtful CV and cover letter.** These are your first
  opportunity to show who you are, what motivates you, and what you hope to
  achieve during the mentorship. Take your time to make them clear, personal, and
  well-structured.
- **Use AI wisely.** Tools can be great for polishing your writing or checking
  grammar, but make sure your application reflects *you*. Mentors can usually
  spot when something is fully generated. The mentorship is about your personal
  growth over three months, so let your own voice shine through.
- **Apply through the official LFX portal.** To be considered, make sure you
  complete the application process there and upload both your CV and cover
  letter.
- **Follow the process in the upstream issue.** Any clarifications should be
  asked directly in the issue. This keeps everything transparent and ensures
  mentors don’t miss your questions.
- **Respect the communication boundaries.** Please avoid asking about the
  status of your application in public chats or reaching out to individual
  mentors on social media. We know it can feel hard to wait, but sticking to the
  official process helps everyone.
- **Understand the selection realities.** There are many projects, lots of
  applicants, and only a short time for the selection process. That means not
  everyone will be contacted directly. If you don’t hear back, don’t be
  discouraged—keep applying and building your skills.

We’re looking forward to learning more about you and wish you the very best of
luck with your application!

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## Recommended Preparation

While each project has its own skill requirements, the program aims to deepen
mentees’ knowledge in the following areas:

- **Go programming**, with a focus on operator development
- **Kubernetes** and **Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs)**
- **Git** and **GitHub workflows**
- **CloudNativePG architecture and usage**
- **PostgreSQL fundamentals**

We encourage aspiring mentees to begin familiarising themselves with these
topics in preparation for upcoming application cycles.

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### Suggested Resources

Below are some key resources to support your learning journey:

- [Kubebuilder Book](https://book.kubebuilder.io/)
- [Programming Kubernetes](https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/programming-kubernetes/9781492047094/)

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## Getting Started as a Mentee

To hit the ground running, make sure you:

- Join the [CNCF Slack channel](../README.md#communications) for CloudNativePG
- [Set up your development environment](development_environment/README.md)
- [Run E2E tests locally](e2e_testing_environment/README.md)
