Help and FAQs

These questions are taken from a crown copyright document that is licensed by Skills for Justice to store and display, the IPDS FAQs. These questions are for reference only, please contact us if you would like to propose any changes.

Does personal development value practical skills and technical knowledge?

Absolutely! Personal development relies on people having practical skills and technical knowledge because without them, it is impossible for them to understand what they have to do at work. Without knowledge, skills and understanding all being used together to achieve the outcomes described in the role maps, they can never be competent.

 

Is competence just about training?

The acquisition of skills and knowledge through training is essential but, people must then show that they can apply them in the real-life workplace, i.e. at incidents, during Community Fire Safety events and all other aspects of their role. It is impossible to demonstrate competent performance through training alone. It is for this reason that workplace assessment by a line manager is so important.

It is possible to train for competence but competence is more than training. It is about success in the real world.

 

Does personal development mean that staff doesn't have to practice with their equipment or do drills?

Drills are essential in order to achieve the basic equipment handling skills necessary for safety. But once the basic skills have been mastered, much more use should be made of realistic scenarios that mirror accurately the demands of real life.

 

Isn't watching people do drills the only way to assess how good they are?

Watching drills will reveal if people have basic development needs in their equipment handling skills, but true competence involves the ability to integrate everything else that needs to go on at the same time as skills are applied.

For instance, the ability to put up a ladder can be regarded as a task or equipment skill. But when this has to be done at a real incident, there will be other things to take into account. Do people need rescuing straight away or does water need to be provided more urgently? What about other tasks that may need to take precedence? What happens when things don’t go according to plan – access might be restricted or the ladder may become unstable – what can be done? The ground underfoot may be icy, it may be dark or there may be insufficient room to achieve the pitch as planned. Any of these might involve making an alternative plan to ensure that there will be a successful outcome.

It is unlikely that anyone would be able to demonstrate all of these things just by doing a drill.

 

Is personal development practical for people on the retained duty system?

People working on the wholetime or the retained duty systems are expected to use the same items of equipment, to achieve the same operational outcomes, to use the same personal protective equipment and to be exposed to the same risks and hazards. To treat them differently is indefensible, either from a practical or legal point of view. Because the personal development role maps are couched in terms of the outcomes that people must achieve at work, they are as relevant to those on the retained duty system as anyone else.

If people are going to have to work side-by-side together at the same incidents, it can only make sense that they are developed to the same standards if safety and efficiency is to prevail. Treating people with essentially similar roles in different ways and to different standards is not acceptable.

Many aspects of personal development such as the Assessment Development Centres and National Firefighter Selection tests have been designed to be used in a modular way to help meet the needs of RDS staff.

Fire and Rescue Services are successfully applying personal development plans with their RDS staff and examples of this good practice can be found on the IPDS pages of the Fire Service College site and the Case Studies page of this website.

 

Why doesn't this website give role-maps detail of exactly what staff have to do?

The reason why the role maps do not identify exactly what skills, knowledge and understanding are required is simply because all organisations are different.

For instance, what would be the use of the role maps insisting that everyone should be trained to use a large ladder and to know everything about its limitations and use if there are no buildings higher than two floors in a particular FRS area? There might, however, be numerous road and motorway incidents that would require a good working knowledge of cutting equipment and the skills to use it safely and effectively.

Identification of the salient skills and knowledge that are required to enable someone to be safe and effective in role is actually a local responsibility; this will derive from the organisational Integrated Risk Management Plan (IRMP).

The IRMP enables organisational managers to be aware of the risks presented by their local environment; once they have this awareness it follows that they are best placed to determine how those risks should best be met.

So, training needs should be determined by local risk. Line mangers have a responsibility to audit the risks to which their people might be exposed and to then determine what development should be provided to mitigate those risks.

There are a number of Vocationally Related Qualifications that can be used to support the acquisition of generic knowledge and understanding. These include the BTEC for Firefighters, the Compartment Fire Behaviour Training award and the ‘Working with Young People’ award. In 2008 CFOA and the FRSVSG hope to deliver a qualification for Incident Command. FRAs can access a range of other qualifications such as those awarded by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

 

Now that the promotion examinations have gone, how is it possible to determine what technical knowledge promotion candidates should have?

The old Fire Service Examination Board (FSEB) examinations were used as indicators of potential to select those who were deemed suitable for promotion. Examination passes are good indicators of possession of knowledge but stakeholders agreed that the old FSEB examinations did not meet the needs of the Service. For example, the testing of Incident Command skills stopped at Watch Manager. People were only tested once in their career and not at all if they worked the retained duty system.

 

Where do managerial or academic qualifications fit in personal development?

CFOA and the FRSVSG are working to produce a set of Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs) for the Service that focus more on assessing and recognising relevant knowledge and understanding. They are delivered through a taught programme and have a work placement running alongside - this gives people an opportunity to use what they are learning and develop their skills as they work through the programme. To achieve a VRpeople are required to complete a series of set tasks and exercises that will help demonstrate their knowledge and understanding, each of which will ask them to reflect on and give real examples from their practice - giving them the opportunity to show that they can use their knowledge and understanding in work.

The gaining of qualifications is commendable and undoubtedly allows people to develop key, core or other personal skills but it makes sense for any qualification to support effective performance in role.

There is no direct correlation between qualifications and assessment against the role maps. But a person with any role-relevant skills, knowledge or understanding that has been derived from academic qualifications or prior managerial development will be able to demonstrate competence much more rapidly than someone who has not.

CFOA are working with the FRSVSG on a framework of qualifications to show where they fit into personal development.

 

Does the ADC process assess operational skills

The ADCs all contain objective role-play exercises which test the ability of participants to function effectively under pressure. Candidates are obliged to interact with a range of people in a number of different scenarios and their ability to gain, process and use relevant information is closely assessed. Most of the Fire and Rescue Service candidates who have undertaken these ADCs agree that they successfully test the skills and behaviours that support operational capability.

Of course, successful candidates will still need to be formally developed in a way that ensures that their operational competence will be able to meet the requirement of their new role. This development should be designed as a structured process and because it will be supported by effective assessment in the workplace, we can be confident that it is actually effective.

 

What's the mechanism to asess basic skills and knowledge at selection?

There are a number of Vocationally Related Qualifications that can be used such as the BTEC for Firefighters, the Compartment Fire Behaviour Training award and the ‘Working with Young People’ award. In 2008 CFOA and the FRSVSG hope to deliver a qualification for Incident Command. FRAs can access a range of other qualifications such as those awarded by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

 

What's the mechanism to assess basic skills and knowledge in the workplace?

There are a number of Vocationally Related Qualifications that can be used such as the BTEC for Firefighters, the Compartment Fire Behaviour Training award and the ‘Working with Young People’ award. In 2008 CFOA and the FRSVSG hope to deliver a qualification for Incident Command. FRAs can access a range of other qualifications such as those awarded by the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM).

In addition, NVQ assessment is against the National Occupational Standards which require candidates to demonstrate knowledge and understanding. Also the NJC have issued a Code of Practice on Workplace assessment.

NOS define the performance standards related to an occupational group.

NVQ is a sub-set of the NOS (some mandatory and some optional) required to achieve a qualification.

 

Is there a standard bibliography that underpins each role map?

Role Maps are a sub-set of the NOS used (in the FRS) as part of Pay and Conditions (Grey and Gold Book).

The bibliography exists in a number of places:

  • The Fire Service Manuals
  • Other publications by the HMFSI
  • Other national policy and procedure (such as Health and Safety Guidance)
  • Regulations
  • Local FRS policy and procedure
  • Local risk data (IRMP)

 

What is the timetable for review of the NOS?

The Fire and Rescue Sector Vocational Standards Group (FRSVSG) reviewed the Watch Manager and Control Operator NOS in 2007/8 and the Firefighter NOS in 2008. The FRSVSG publish an annual business plan outlining the timetable for future reviews.

 

Is the FRS approach to Learning, Development and Qualifications consistent with wider public policy and other sectors?

Yes. The NOS / NVQ approach is used by over 85 per cent of UK organisations. The Assessment Development Centres used in the Fire Service are based on principles used in most major public and private sector companies.

The National Firefighter Selection process also uses some of these principles but has been designed specifically for the needs of the Fire and Rescue Service.

 

Does FRS have to accept the ADC or NFS scores of someone coming from another FRS?

These are national processes enshrined in the Framework so we would encourage acceptance of scores from another FRS but each FRS is responsible for its own employment practices (within the law).


Do external candidates have to go through an ADC?

We would encourage this but each FRS is responsible for its own employment practices (within the law).

 

Are the in band interviews mandatory?

Yes in that they are part of the ADC process which is a ‘must’ in the Framework.

 

Does someone need to be competent in their current role before they are allowed to go through an ADC?

This is a matter for each FRS but guidance is given in the Grey Book and in Fire Service Circular 2-2007 para 6.

 

Can a line-manager refuse to allow someone to attend an ADC?

Within the ADC process line managers have an important role in preparing individuals for progression by providing development opportunities, providing feedback and encouragement and role modelling effective behaviours across all contexts. Although the decision to apply for progression rests largely with the individual it may be that initially FRAs may want to have a line manager recommendation of an application to attend an ADC. It is envisaged that, as PDR processes are developed the need for this will diminish. FRAs should be mindful, however, of the rare cases where line managers may block an individual seeking progression. It is also important to note that, although line managers are well placed to assess current competence, an ADC is designed specifically to assess potential which is very different and can only be achieved by simulating the demands of a future role. Clearly, HR will have a key role in screening out applications from those for whom outstanding issues such as long term or poor sickness record, disciplinary action or capability concerns remain current.

 

Can the Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) commonly be used in the ADC process also be used for workplace assessment?

Workplace assessment should be measured against NOS. This is especially important when assessing people for an award such as an NVQ. It is however quite acceptable to use the BARS as well.

 

What's the difference between workplace assessment and appraisal?

They are very similar processes and each should compliment the other. Appraisals are usually carried out at set intervals (maybe every 6 or 12 months) whereas workplace assessment should be continuous. Also workplace assessment should be measured against NOS. This is especially important when assessing people for an award such as an NVQ. Appraisals can use NOS and / or other measures such as personal objectives.

 

How does personal development help the Service embrace Equality and Diversity?

Equality and Diversity is embedded in many aspects of personal development courses/procedures. There are specific E&D Standards within this website and every Standard makes reference to the need to treat colleagues and members of the public with respect, valuing diversity.

The National Firefighter Selection process and the Assessment Development Centres measure behaviour (by using the Personal Qualities and Attributes) in relation to E&D

IPDS processes such as ADC and NFS have been designed to be fair.

 

How does personal development help the Service embrace the FRS Core Values?

The Core Values are not always referred to directly with personal development because they were written after IPDS was established. But the values are reflected in the performance standards (NOS) and in the PQAs and these are measured via workplace performance, ADCs and NFS.

 

How will the ADC process accomodate people with dyslexia?

Our advice is to allow extra time (based on their official diagnosis) of a certain percentage (which it says in their statement/letter of diagnosis) for preparation time only. With Analysis Exercises, this extends the writing and pre-presentation/briefing preparation time, with the InBasket exercise this extends the overall time too. But with the Group Discussion, Roleplays and Multiple Roleplays we only extend the reading and preparation time. It is vital in that extended time that the administrator still reads aloud the instructions. The key is still 'reasonable adjustments', and candidates are not required to make any special requirements known to the employer in advance - they can just pitch up on the day and tell you there and then. Therefore the fire and rescue service should communicate that it is in the individual's best interested to make this known in advance so that the necessary support and adjustments can be made to help them through the process. Additional information is available on the British Dyslexia Association website. The best practice advice for how to handle candidates with dyslexia in aptitude and other tests is:

  • Discuss with dyslexic applicants in advance so that necessary adjustments can be made
  • Ensure that test instructions are clearly read aloud
  • Allow more time for dyslexic candidates
  • If adjustments are unsuitable, be prepared to waive the test as there are often equally satisfactory ways of getting the information.

 

What can people do to prepare themselves for an ADC?

The basis for assessment will be the Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs) which have been developed nationally. These are supported by a set of behavioural statements (Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales – BARS) which set out what is required of people at each of the managerial levels. Individuals will be expected to have demonstrated competence in their current role before progressing to a new one.

The PQAs and BARS can be accessed on this web site under Assessment Development Centres (ADCs).

How to prepare:

  • Make a self assessment against these PQAs and the role maps - candidates will need to provide evidence of current competence - giving examples of things they are doing or have done which demonstrate their competence
  • Discuss with their current line manager their hopes and aspirations and seek guidance on what they need to do - this should happen anyway as part of a Personal Development Review process from which they should have a Personal Development Plan
  • Look after their continuous personal development - take opportunities to develop themselves and others, read, listen, take part in discussions, volunteer for projects
  • Talk to people in different roles - find out what they do and what skills they have.

When people have successfully been "sifted" into an ADC - usually by evidence-based application form - they will be given information about the process in their area. The ADC is not an exam or a memory test – so it’s not possible to "swat up". They offer an opportunity to demonstrate potential to work in a new role - this depends on how people apply knowledge and skills - for example thinking ahead and working under pressure. Candidates will be asked to undertake some tests which may be scenario based judgement tests, in-tray or role play exercises. There are no "right answers" and no secret codes - it's about how they respond to situations and use their experience and knowledge to deal with realistic situations they are likely to meet in the new role. ADCs assess potential - likely performance - in a new role so it is different from workplace assessment. The tests will have been devised by experts in Occupational Psychology along with experienced development professionals who have worked in the field for a long time and people from all levels in the fire and rescue service who understand the requirements of each of the roles.

 

What qualifies someone to attend an ADC?

Access arrangements to the ADC will be decided by each FRS but it is expected that it will be an open process comprising an evidence based Assessment of Potential.

 

What are the benefits of using National Occupational Standards (NOS)?

NOS can benefit organisations by:

  • Providing an integrated structure for human resource development
  • Aligning individual and team effort with organisational goals and targets
  • Helping to develop and retain a highly skilled, motivated, confident and flexible workforce
  • Providing a common language and standards of quality with partners and stakeholders
  • Enhancing public confidence and understanding of the organisation within the community.

NOS can benefit managers by:

  • Ensuring that staff are clear about their responsibilities and work activities
  • Providing a ready-made, relevant and flexible framework for performance management and review
  • Ensuring that assessment becomes an integral part of their work
  • Helping them to provide specific, focussed constructive feedback to staff
  • Allowing them to delegate responsibility to staff with confidence
  • Ensuring that staff comply with legal and organisational requirements.

NOS can benefit individuals by:
  • Supporting their professional development
  • Opening up a wider range of career opportunities (including moving from one group of workers to another)
  • Helping to transfer their competence to other work situations
  • Giving them confidence that they are capable of working to best practice standards
  • Helping them to present a professional and credible image
  • Providing the route to a nationally recognised qualification.

Additionally the fire & rescue services have:

  • Signposted the 'Key Skills'
  • Produced development objectives within a modular framework
  • Developed indicators for personal qualities and attributes (PQAs)
  • All of these frameworks underpin the NOS.

 

What are National Occupational Standards (NOS) used for?

While NOS have been used primarily in the development of National and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (S/NVQs), it has always been recognised that occupational standards are a valuable resource that can be used in an integrated way by organisations and individuals to improve their performance.

Organisations can use NOS to:

  • Identify and plan personnel requirements
  • Develop job descriptions and person specifications for staff
  • Design and implement recruitment and selection processes
  • Design, deliver and evaluate training
  • Quality assure staff performance across the organisation
  • Meet the indicators for external accreditation, such as Investor in People or PQASSO
  • Use common standards of performance and quality in partnerships with other organisations and agencies
  • Demonstrate the competence of the organisation when applying for funding, or tendering for projects
  • Provide links to the requirements of professional bodies (such as National Governing Bodies).

Managers can use NOS to:

  • Provide induction of staff
  • Identify an individual's development needs
  • Plan appropriate development and training
  • Provide individuals with necessary coaching and mentoring support
  • Delegate responsibilities to staff
  • Ensure that individuals and teams achieve their objectives
  • Use nationally agreed criteria to carry out performance reviews fairly and consistently.

 Individuals can use NOS to:

  • Develop their self confidence and enhance their personal effectiveness
  • Track their skills against the requirements of a specific occupational area
  • Ensure best practice at work
  • Comply with statutory requirements
  • Receive constructive and objective feedback from their manager and others
  • Build a bridge from part time to wholetime work
  • Gain a nationally recognised qualification (eg S/NVQ).

 

What are the key features of National Occupational Standards (NOS)?

There are many different National Occupational Standards (NOS) in existence, with new ones being developed and older ones being revised all the time. Whatever the occupational area covered by a set of Standards, they must all conform to the criteria set by the Regulatory Bodies. All NOS must:

  • Identify the main roles and responsibilities within a defined occupational area
  • Reflect best employment practice - describing both existing and emerging practice
  • Describe what is essential for successful performance
  • Specify what an individual needs to know and understand to do their job
  • Describe what an individual should achieve, not how they should do it
  • Include relevant technical, planning and problem solving skills, the ability to work with others and use information technology (Key Skills)
  • Include any statutory or legal obligations
  • Include any health and safety requirements
  • Include any relevant environmental aspects which are critical to the competence
  • Capture defining occupational characteristics such as ethics, values and creativity
  • Be written in plain language and in a format that makes sense to the people who will use them
  • Be free from any overt or covert discrimination against any sector of the community
  • Provide a satisfactory basis for the design of assessment
  • Meet the needs and have the support of all significant groups of employers and potential users
  • Distinguish clearly between occupational standards and qualifications.

 

Can Crew Managers undertake 'hands on' task activities?

If Crew Managers are engaged with Firefighters in the practices found within the function 'Save and Preserve Endangered Life', they can exercise their supervisory responsibility either within a task-responsive, 'hands-on' approach doing this work with firefighters or through a 'hands-off' approach, through the function 'lead and support people to resolve incidents'.

This does not infer that Crew Managers will never perform operational tasks. The task and equipment skills required are used within the context of their own role maps to allow them to support, lead and develop their work colleagues. The role maps support this approach by providing a non-prescriptive statement both for Firefighters and for Crew Managers, 'How to apply practices that maximise the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others in the workplace'. They do not specify any tasks that either role group undertakes.

There is nothing to prevent the Crew Manager or Watch Manager from assisting within incident activities as long as overall supervision, health, safety and welfare of those people they are responsible for is not compromised. What people must be aware of is that they will be doing so in the context of their role map - 'lead and support people to resolve operational incidents'. Leadership has been identified as being of paramount importance within the role of managers and should not be compromised. If it is identified that managers may be required to do hands on tasks to enable them to meet any reasonably foreseeable risk they may encounter these managers must demonstrate and maintain competence in those skills.

 

What is the relationship between the IPDS and IRMP?

IPDS identifies suggested training and development strategies that are required to develop and maintain a competent workforce. It provides the frameworks to support staff to develop the skills and knowledge required to deliver the service outlined within the IRMP.

 

I'm not a uniformed officer, but I do work for the fire service, what about me?

This project was originally commissioned following the Recommendations of the Training Strategy Group in 1994. These recommendations were aimed principally at uniformed staff, however it is recognised that many of the benefits of IPDS should be made available to all staff.