What Skills can candidates develop using RAPID?

The RAPID Progress File has three distinct Skill areas. These are:

• Key Skills
• Personal and Professional Skills
• Technical Skills

Key Skills

These are derived from current Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) key skills specification. The advantages of using QCA specifications are that they are nationally recognised, that they offer the student / graduate the opportunity to gain accreditation for key skill evidence, and that they complement industry based NVQ/SVQ standards and specifications.

Personal and Professional Skills

These refer to those skills (e.g. time management, problem solving, leadership skills etc.) that enhance the student / graduate's ability to meet the demands placed upon them in the workplace. They are relevant to the process of developing professional competence. As such, they will contribute to the professional development of your student/graduate as a prospective member of the ABE.

Technical Skills

These offer the student / graduate the opportunity to record and gain evidence for competencies that may be directly relevant in their future professional capacity. Moreover, these skills can provide evidence of the knowledge, experience, competencies and values that they gain through their academic studies and practical experience.

You can encourage your students / graduates to audit and develop these skills, and to generate sufficient evidence to support claims of competence. The opportunity to develop different kinds of skills will vary according to the nature of the activity they are engaged in e.g. academic, work-based, research-based etc.