PDP and employability

Personal development planning processes are linked to employability in various ways. Through effective PDP processes students can learn to articulate their skills and experience, and their developmental needs in ways that are both useful and accessible to employers. The ability to reflect on personal successes and to articulate the learning derived from less successful ventures is important in the application and selection process for graduate employers.

Encouraging students to articulate and evidence their development gives them a head start when they come to write their CV or their job applications. If they have engaged fully in PDP they will have evidence that they can draw on to support any assertions they make about their skills and abilities

On the curriculum side the methods that can be used to embed activities and processes that support the development of employability skills within the curriculum context are similar, if not the same, for embedding PDP within discipline.

Making the link between PDP and future success in their career can serve as a hook to students, to engage them in PDP. It is not then a meaningless activity for them but one that has a specific and important place in their university experience.

For further information, see the Resources section for links to useful details.