As Candidate Support Officer for Chartership candidates from 2001 until around 2009, I constantly had to explain and direct people to the Body of Professional Knowledge, showing the relevance of it to candidates. I had to outline the reasoning behind the BPK. How it came about? Why it was needed? And how it could be used in the new professionals' everyday life? In particular how to use it in the Chartership process when working on the Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP). It was a difficult task for me as I had a little trouble working it out myself at times!
However the new draft Body of Professional Knowledge and Skills is so much easier to understand and therefore use. The online version, which is planned, will bring it all up to date and even more accessible for new professionals already used to using that media. As a Mentor now for Chartership candidates, I look with interest at the draft document. The PPDP is usualy the first piece of work to be done in the chartership process and this BPKS has everything clearly laid out under headings, well organised and explained. It gives something to work towards and easily identifies gaps. It is very comprehensive, bringing in new skills and knowledge, and I believe it is also a great toolkit for any reflective practitioner.
I myself have been planning to re-validate my chartership for several years, have registered and never got around to submitting. Looking over the new BPKS, it is easy to see what skills I have, what skills I forgot I had or didn't realise were relevant skills and what gaps I need to work on. If indeed I need to work on them. Are they relevant to my career at the moment or will I need them in the future? The BPKS is adaptable to the role you are in. You do not need an in depth knowledge of all the skills within it, these skills will vary depending on which level you are at or which sector you are in. The new document make this clear. I believe it will be a good tool to use:
For Employers/Managers
- in conducting PRDs and identifying training needs
- in mapping out training courses
- as a guide to write job descriptions
- writing cvs and marketing ourselves
- in PRDs
- as support for Chartership candidates to write PPDPs and identify gaps
- as a reflective tool e.g for re-validation of Chartership, career changes
- as a checklist of skills and gaps
- in identifying training courses
I have replied to the draft proposal for the Body of Professional Knowledge and Skills, identifying a few gaps in the detail skills sitting below the high level skills and knowledge. I don't profess to have knowledge of all the skills in the LIS, so have a look at the document yourselves and have your say at www.cilip.org.uk/futureskillsproject !
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