Skills for Work: Personal Development Planning
Personal Development Planning is an Open Awards Skills for Work unit in which learners identify their strengths, interests and areas to improve, set goals and plan and review their progress, from choosing a goal from picture options at Entry 1 to analysing their profile against future aims and running and updating a structured plan at Level 2. Each of the 5 levels is a separate 10 hour unit, assessed through provider designed tasks with portfolio evidence, and only 1 level counts towards a qualification. Digital demand is low: no criterion needs technology, but the guidance names digital skills as strengths or development areas, websites and online materials as sources of support, and paper or digital profile templates.
- Awarding body
- Open Awards
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 10
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Low
- Specification
- Open the specification
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level 1 (CBM166) and Entry Level 2 (CBM167): Entry 1 has 3 learning outcomes and 6 criteria: identify at least 3 own strengths and some interests from given material, identify an area to improve and a person who could help, choose a simple goal from given options and communicate it with 1 way to work towards it; evidence may be verbal, gestural, pictorial or through AAC. Entry 2 has 6 criteria: identify at least 3 strengths and interests or achievements, identify an area for improvement and state why it matters, identify a personal goal and complete a simple action plan with an action and a review point. Provider designed tasks with portfolio evidence; every criterion must be met for a pass. 10 guided learning hours at each level.
- Entry Level 3 (CBM168): 3 learning outcomes and 7 criteria: describe own strengths and interests and explain skills or experiences gained in different situations, identify a person, service or resource that can support development and explain how feedback or experience helps, identify a short-term goal, outline the steps or resources needed and review progress. 10 guided learning hours.
- Level 1 (CBM169): 3 learning outcomes and 7 criteria: describe own skills, interests and experiences with at least 3 examples, identify at least 2 development areas, set a goal and explain why it is appropriate, produce a simple development plan with actions, support or resources and a timescale or review point, carry out actions and review progress and next steps. 10 guided learning hours.
- Level 2 (CBM170): 3 learning outcomes and 7 criteria: analyse own skills, interests and experiences against future aims, prioritise development areas, set at least 3 realistic goals and justify them, produce a structured plan with actions, support, timescales and review arrangements, use it to work towards a goal and evaluate progress and update the plan. 10 guided learning hours.
The digital skills in this qualification
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Finding support and learning resources online
Entry 3 learners identify a person, service or resource that can support development, and a website is one example. They outline steps or resources needed to reach a goal, such as using online materials, and Level 1 learners may research as one of their planned actions. Online sources are examples, so this is taught, not assessed.
DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils find 1 free online tutorial for a skill they want to learn and bookmark it.
- Year 8
- Pupils search for local clubs or courses linked to a personal goal, refining their keywords and saving 3 useful links.
- Year 9
- Pupils research courses and careers sites for a future aim, judge which sources are reliable and reference them in their plan.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit Content, LO2 AC 2.1 and LO3 AC 3.2, Entry 3, page 16; LO3 AC 3.2, Level 1, page 19
“practising weekly, asking for help, attending a club, or using online materials”
Progression step 3
I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.
I can store search results for future use, e.g. bookmark, add to favourites.
Progression step 4
I can search a variety of sources using relevant search techniques with increased complexity.
I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.
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Recognising own digital skills and setting digital goals
The guidance lists digital activities as an Entry 1 interest, using digital tools as an Entry 2 development area, digital skills from media activities as an Entry 3 experience, and digital skills in a Level 1 profile. Learners reflect on what they can already do with technology and what to improve. These are examples, so this is taught, not assessed.
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils tick the digital tasks they can already do, such as saving a file or sending an email, on a simple checklist.
- Year 8
- Pupils rate their confidence with 5 digital tools and choose 1 to improve this term.
- Year 9
- Pupils reflect on how they use technology for learning and leisure and set a digital skills goal linked to a future course or job.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Unit Content, LO1 AC 1.2, Entry 1, page 11; LO2 AC 2.1, Entry 2, page 13; LO1 AC 1.2, Entry 3, page 16; LO1 AC 1.1, Level 1, page 18
“organisation, confidence, teamwork, concentration, or using digital tools.”
Progression step 3
I can identify the wider positive and negative influences of technology, e.g. on my life, on society, on the environment.
Progression step 4
I can reflect on the role of digital media in my life and habits.
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Keeping a digital profile, plan and evidence record
Providers use learner profile templates that may be paper or digital, and e-portfolios are encouraged wherever possible. Level 1 and Level 2 learners produce a development plan, keep an evidence record of actions and, at Level 2, update the plan after evaluating progress, which suits a digital document with saved versions. Digital use is optional, so this is taught, not assessed.
DCF: Creating digital content, Storing and sharing
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils fill in an About Me template on a computer with 3 strengths and a photo, and save it in their folder.
- Year 8
- Pupils create a 1 page digital action plan with a table for actions, helpers and review dates.
- Year 9
- Pupils keep a digital development plan, update it after a review and use version history to show how it changed.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Physical Resources, page 5; Assessment Approach, pages 6 and 8 to 9; Unit Content, LO3, Level 2, page 21
“learner profile templates (paper or digital)”
Progression step 3
I can use a range of software to select, produce and edit a range of multimedia components for a purpose, such as:
- text and images, e.g. format text (bold, underline, italics, highlight); insert and edit text boxes; columns; use refine tools (spellchecker, find and replace); word wrap; crop; alter size and shape; alter images; add effects; trim and split sound and video clips; transitions; onion skin
- presentation, e.g. page orientation; animations; transitions; remove and alter images; use background; use action buttons to create hyperlink; embed objects.
I can manage files and folders locally or online, e.g. move files to a folder.
Progression step 4
I can select and use a variety of appropriate software, tools and techniques to create, modify and combine multimedia components for a range of audiences and purposes, such as:
- text and images, e.g. explore and use effectively image manipulation techniques; explore and use appropriately the many aspects of document layout; use animation, video and audio effects such as echo, tempo, envelope, layering, frame rate, key frames
- presentation, e.g. use design tools; adapt themes and colours to suit the purpose; create master templates.
I can use appropriate advanced file management techniques, e.g. version history, restore previous version, tagging, compression.
Good to know
- Each level is a separate unit, CBM166 to CBM170, with "Credit Value: One (1)" and "Guided Learning Hours: 10" (Unit Content, pages 10, 13, 15, 18 and 20), matching the Level 1 Qualification Guide (page 21).
- Only 1 level counts: "units with the same title at different levels are barred for completion within the same qualification", BSL being the only exception (Level 1 Qualification Guide, page 17).
- Tasks are designed by the provider and "All assessment criteria must be met in full for the learner to be awarded a 'pass'" (Assessment Approach, page 6). Evidence goes in a portfolio and "Wherever possible, e-portfolios are encouraged" (page 6).
- Resources are light: "Minimal resources are required." Providers need "learner profile templates (paper or digital)", goal setting and planning templates, reflective logs and careers information (Physical Resources, page 5).
- Entry 1 evidence can be non-written: "Evidence may be verbal, gestural, pictorial or through AAC." (Unit Content, Entry 1, page 11).
- Learners must act on the plan, not only write it: at Level 1 they "carry out agreed actions from the plan" and at Level 2 they "implement planned actions and show evidence of working towards the goal" (pages 19 and 21).
- Neither the unit specification nor the Level 1 Qualification Guide says anything about learners using AI tools.
- The text has editing slips: the unit aim repeats "develop learners' develop learners'" (page 3), the Level 1 review criterion is labelled "AC 3,2" instead of AC 3.3 (page 19), and the Entry 3 Area of Learning row holds a copied Entry 1 example instead of an Area name (page 16).
Links with other qualifications
Personal Development Planning links with the Health and Well-being Area of Learning and Experience, which the unit names, and with careers and work-related learning across the curriculum. Goal setting, action planning and review connect with the WJEC Skills Challenge Certificate and Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales, and with the planning and review stages of VCSE coursework. The Pearson Personal development planning unit uses a SWOT analysis and skills audit; the Open Awards unit builds a personal profile and asks learners to carry out and review actions, with 3 justified goals at Level 2. Within the Open Awards Skills for Work group, Exploring Career Pathways and Building a Growth Mindset work well alongside it.
Source: Open Awards Skills for Work Unit Specification, Personal Development Planning, Entry Level 1 to Level 2.