Education for life: skills and attributes

Career Development Module: A four step approach to developing skills and attributes

What is it? 

A four step continuous cycle of self-assessment, goal setting, action planning and review. 

How does it work? 

Students taking the CDM are encouraged to focus on their development of particular skills through their placement or group project, for example communication, collaboration, leadership or adaptability.

We introduce a range of self-assessment and self-development tools, including competency descriptors and feedback from others, to help them determine their initial levels of competence in specific skills.

They are then introduced to a range of techniques and models to develop their skills and are supported to set personal goals and evaluate their progress. This approach mirrors the identify, explore, apply, and reflect stages of the Education for Life skills and attributes.  

Why does it work? 

Students often misjudge their abilities and ignore counterevidence. We provide tools and resources, including external feedback requirements, to help balance their self-perception.  We prepare students for how to receive feedback form others, what to do when receiving it and how to respond. 

Student self-assessment determines a baseline for development, goal setting determines their aspired level of competence while action planning establishes the opportunities for, and resources required to, realise these goals. Periodic reviews with others help to balance self-perception with external feedback to gain an accurate picture of their progress, mirroring common workplace practice. 

Find out more 

Want to know more about how the Careers Service can help you embed opportunities for your students to learn more about and develop their skills and attributes? Contact your Faculty's Team Manager: 

Jessica.Jung@newcastle.ac.uk (HaSS Faculty Team manager)

Chris.Roberts@newcastle.ac.uk (SAgE Faculty Team manager)

Gillian.Mabbitt@newcastle.ac.uk (FMS Faculty Team manager) 

More information

Employability education is often best integrated within programme modules where there is collaboration in the design and delivery between careers professionals and academic staff from the discipline. When demand for support is high, we may need to prioritise support for programmes and modules where the potential impact on student outcomes is greatest.