1. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Supporting your Success with Personal Development Planning What you need to know about NUPAD and MyPAD Andrea Duncan, PDP Coordinator

2. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Why are you here…….? ‘To study a subject that really interests me’ ‘To have a professional career’ ‘To improve my job prospects’ ‘To gain entry to a well-paid career’ 80% of students rated each of these as extremely important or very important

3. NUPAD Personal Development Planning What will success mean for you…..? Passing your modules Getting good grades Improving study skills Achieving your goals Gaining employability skills Becoming more independent Improving social confidence

4. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Personal Development Planning (NUPAD) is a tool to help you… Understand how you are learning, and which tasks are developing particular skills Identify skills you need for academic and future success Reflect in more depth on your HE experiences, and appreciate the value of your subject Link your studies and other activities Build a valuable resource to help with your CV, placement / job applications and interviews

5. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Everyone is doing it.... All HE students in UK being strongly encouraged to use PDP processes - part of the HE Progress File Common practice in the workplace - for ongoing professional development UN support linked to tutorials or to core modules on your course NUPAD web pages and MyPAD e-portfolio space to help you …..but it’s YOUR responsibility!

6. NUPAD Personal Development Planning So what exactly is PDP...? Talking informally with friends/family/workmates Making applications: for part-time jobs /placements Discussing your progress with tutors Using PDP exercises eg - to identify skills from study or work, explore career plans, refine your CV Completing reflective elements in assignments Gaining experience relevant to possible career goals Keeping track of your thoughts, ideas, and plans in a learning diary or log such as MyPAD

7. NUPAD Personal Development Planning NUPAD web pages: explanatory notes and PDP exercises to complete & save  Introduction and purpose  Tutorial support systems  Key skills development – noting strengths & gaps, building evidence  Review & reflection – improving grades, benefits of other learning experiences, making the links  Action-planning – setting goals, thinking about next steps

8. NUPAD Personal Development Planning MyPAD : e-portfolio space on NILE Your personal storage space on NILE to track your development, thoughts and plans Use blogs and wikis to build your profile Suggestions to help you get started, but the content and presentation is up to you Link to other useful/interesting web resources Use for tracking progress with study topics, on- line discussions, work-based learning Potential resource for CVs, applications, interviews, promotion…..

9. NUPAD Personal Development Planning But why bother to keep written records….? it’s easy to forget the detail of our feelings and reactions to particular tasks having to put into words what we have learnt /need to learn often makes it clearer future employers are interested in detailed examples, even the negative experiences it’s a good habit to develop, as staff development in the workplace requires it

10. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Success in your academic study: thinking it through… Thinking about skills you are developing –‘learning outcomes’ of your modules Reflecting on strengths & how to fill any gaps Attending tutorials / noting assignment feedback and taking action –how to improve grades, e.g. attending skills workshops/ Centre for Academic Practice Using the NUPAD web pages http://pdp.northampton.ac.uk http://pdp.northampton.ac.uk Keeping MyPAD records updated Practising presenting yourself to others –‘translating’ your skills into CV language

11. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Success in the future: a degree alone is no longer enough ! Employability? ability to get a job, or sustain long-term employment? ability to progress in a career, or find worthwhile and fulfilling ways to earn a living? ability to use a range of skills and aptitudes in an economically useful way? Work-based experience essential - need skills gained from studies AND part-time/ voluntary /vacation activities Ability to understand what and HOW you are learning, and see how that can apply to new situations willingness to continue learning and developing

12. NUPAD Personal Development Planning What employers look for - for part-time jobs now, and in graduate applicants Evidence of specific skills Examples you can describe Experience gained in different situations Enthusiasm knowing what you want and why

13. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Application forms - how will you answer these….? Give an example of a problem you have had to solve. How did you go about it? Describe a situation which demonstrates your ability to deal with difficult people? What do you consider to be your most important achievement and why? Give an example of how you have worked successfully in a team.

14. NUPAD Personal Development Planning How will you convince selectors that you have the skills they want? HOW WILL YOUR application / CV / interview responses STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?

15. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Building your bank of examples…. academic project (team/individual) research task part-time/vacation job voluntary project family responsibility student activity travel experience organising role personal challenge

16. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Part-time/Vacation Work Experience……making it relevant understanding an organisation’s structure and systems thinking & reflecting on skills, insights, and personal qualities developed keeping notes in MyPAD on learning experiences looking out for opportunities to learn new skills responding to change & coping with pressure

17. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Making the Most of Outside Activities/Responsibilities get involved in a voluntary project - UNCV plan constructively for your next vacation –visit the Careers Information Centre, use specialist agencies, take the initiative for organising something find out how you could contribute in the community Be proactive - if there’s a gap, fill it!

18. NUPAD Personal Development Planning Making the most NUPAD & MyPAD think it through note it down make it happen!