Practical Experience Portfolio (PEP) Steve Daniels Assistant Director, Students & Members CIPFA Education & Membership steve.daniels@cipfa.org

IPDS -> PEP First full review of CIPFA’s workplace experience scheme planned as part of 2011 PQ syllabus review & carried out in 2012 New IFAC standard, IES 5 Extensive stakeholder feedback accumulated CIPFA’s international strategy IPDS requirements much more extensive than equivalent schemes of competitor institutes Evidence that IPDS seen to be a deterrent to some students/employers Aim: to ensure robust completion of relevant workplace experience with appropriate CIPFA review – a competitive, fit-for-purpose scheme

PEP overview PEP scheme portfolios should include: Log of 400 days of relevant workplace experience Three evidenced activities, including written content on planning & execution, ethical considerations, learning & supported by evidence for each activity… …plus an oral presentation as part of one of the above activities General reflection and future learning goals Year 1 CPD Learning & Development Plan (students of CPD-accredited employers exempt from this) Submission at any point once passed final exams. Results within 4 weeks: complete or incomplete

PEP – workplace experience log Little change compared to IPDS Standard element of accountancy bodies’ workplace experience requirements 400 days of relevant experience mapped across the 8 CIPFA Statement of Expertise (SoE) competency areas (as required in IPDS) using templates from CIPFA website Students’ judgement as to which SoE areas to allocate the days to 200 days for AAT qualified entrants Logged days have to be directly related to role as a CIPFA trainee accountant Employer verification required

PEP – workplace experience log 400 days mapped across the 8 CIPFA SoE competency areas (PEP Guide pp 26-28): Leadership & Strategic Management Strategic & Operational Financial Management Financial & Performance Reporting Governance, Ethics & Values Audit & Accountability Partnerships & Stakeholder Relations Change, Risk & Project Management Procurement & Contract Management Strong encouragement to ensure breadth of experience across the 8 areas but no requirement to demonstrate at least 20 days in at least 4 of the areas in contrast to IPDS

PEP – evidenced activities Three activities to be evidenced in portfolios (cf 6 in IPDS) No more than one activity per SoE competency area For each activity portfolio write-up to cover: planning & execution; ethical considerations; learning; evidence & employer verification Summary sheet template from CIPFA website At least one of the three activities should include an oral presentation Oral presentation considered a key professional skill & should be an inherent part of a piece of ‘real work’ rather than a separate activity as it was in IPDS Include in ‘learning’ any relevant reflection content, but not a separate section as it was in IPDS

PEP – evidenced activities The evidenced activities may be developed from some of the activities detailed in the log of workplace experience or they could be additional activities undertaken When deciding which activities to select for PEP should consider your own personal development needs & also the needs of your organisation Ideally the PEP activities would be pieces of work that being done anyway & not undertaken specifically to fulfil PEP requirements Try to ensure that the oral presentation is a natural part of the activity, not contrived PEP guide includes guidance on words - not limits or targets but likely to be appropriate for most cases

PEP activities – planning & execution Portfolio content should include: Choice of activity, criteria, link to work role, relevance to organisation, link to SoE Planning undertaken, objectives, constraints, resources, timescales, stakeholders, risks, evidence sources, student’s role How the activity was done, any problems, changes to plans, involvement of others Outcome(s) from the activity Any applicable learning from PQ studies Key to focus on your role when writing up and evidencing in the portfolio

PEP activities - oral presentation Important part of student development Required to be undertaken as part of one of the three evidenced activities Should be a natural by-product of the piece of work being undertaken as the PEP evidenced activity Should be delivered in a fairly formal work setting to at least three other people Extra evidence needed in portfolio re the delivery of the presentation and the student’s role in it Student’s judgement on how to deliver it, eg degree of formality, media used, format of materials, feedback mechanism etc – less prescriptive than IPDS

PEP activities - oral presentation For the oral presentation portfolio content should include: Determination of its focus Planning the session Preparation of materials Delivery of the session Reflection on how it went, including any feedback Any follow-up actions Important to explain student’s role in the presentation and explanation of why it was approached in the way it was, with appropriate reflection thereon.

PEP activities - evidence Two pieces of evidence per activity likely to suffice, including employer’s validation report, though can provide a third piece per activity if required Aim to validate the activity took place, student’s role in it and outcome of the activity For the activity incorporating the oral presentation a total of four pieces of evidence needed, up to two of which to relate to the oral presentation Prescribed format for employer’s validation report from CIPFA website Evidence can be documents provided for other reasons (eg minutes, appraisals) or directly related to PEP (eg feedback on the presentation)

PEP activities - ethical considerations Desire to build PEP around strong core of ethics & ethical behaviour IFAC Code on Ethics & IFAC IES 4 CIPFA SOPP on Ethics & ‘Ethics & You’ from CIPFA website (membership section) PQ must have a strong coverage and assessment of ethics, including professional values & attitudes PEP provided opportunity to further strengthen focus on ethics in the PQ to complement the examined elements in modules like GPPE in a work setting Structure portfolio content around the five fundamental principles in the CIPFA SOPP on Ethics & potentially the seven Principles of Public Life?

PEP activities - ethical considerations Issues should be personal reflections & dependent on the activity/context, so guidance on approach & portfolio content cannot be too prescriptive Most/all of the Code of Ethics principles are likely to be at least potentially relevant & thus merit some consideration & discussion Tangible ethical issues & dilemmas may not always be identified for each activity, but still need to discuss potential issues and how they were handled (planned & actual) (Potential) ethical considerations may be relevant at any stage of the activity, from the planning to outcome stage

PEP activities - ethical considerations Consider issues like: Different potential approaches to completing a task Behaviour of individuals during an activity Your own behaviour, appropriate actions & possibly what might not be appropriate Some reflection on whether these ethical issues were appropriately identified & handled Embedding of learning on ethical behaviour, including professional values & attitudes If it is felt that there were no identifiable ethical issues this needs to be demonstrated in the portfolio, that potential issues have been identified and dealt with.

PEP activities - learning Learning is an integral part of PEP as in IPDS Personal reflection encouraged When reflecting be as open & honest as possible, highlighting achievements and less successful aspects How the learning took place Was learning constrained by any identifiable factors? Might these factors be better managed in future? Have other learning & development needs been identified as a result? Forms link to the general reflection & future learning goals section of PEP

PEP – general reflection & future learning goals Effective reflection is a key aspect of professional development Reflection on the whole training experience Consider links between learning from PQ studies and workplace experiences Learning in relation to role & responsibilities of a CIPFA professional Application of professional values, ethics & attitudes in the workplace Development as a learner Skills/practices to develop => future learning goals derived from evidenced activities’ learning sections, presented as an action plan

PEP – CPD Learning & Development Plan CPD is a requirement of CIPFA membership & PEP is designed to provide a smooth transition to CPD In the PEP submission should include the CPD Learning & Development Plan, form available from CIPFA website Year 1 CPD goals should be derived from the section on future learning goals Students of employers who are CIPFA CPD-accredited do not need to submit this plan with their PEP, but still need to submit the previous section on general reflection & future learning goals

PEP – submission 3 copies – 2 for CIPFA Include PEP submission form (from CIPFA website) Purchase PEP submission via online CIPFA Shop – soon to be purchased via CIPFA website as with exams & exemptions purchases Secure binding (not ring binder or lever arch file) Send copies by secure, recorded delivery to: PEP submissions CIPFA Student Support 215 Borough High Street London SE1 1JA

PEP – CIPFA review process Either: ‘complete’ => apply for membership Or: ‘incomplete’ => feedback report to guide re-work and re-submission Students going through a sound work programme and approaching PEP in an organised, disciplined way should be confident in completing PEP successfully => high complete rates expected Small number of trained reviewers using same PEP Guide CIPFA quality assurance to ensure consistency Check for completeness of portfolio Review to assess whether content meets the criteria to an appropriate standard…

PEP – review criteria For each element of each evidenced activity (planning/execution; evidence; ethical considerations & learning), the oral presentation & the general reflection/future learning goals (14 items) review criteria (A/B/C) to be applied A = criteria satisfied B – content marginally below required standard C – content missing or well below required standard PEP complete if all required elements included and either all above items reviewed as A’s or insignificant number of items reviewed as B’s Otherwise portfolio reviewed as ‘incomplete’

PEP – benefits cf IPDS Fewer activities to complete/write up/submit Required activities likely to fit more closely with work plans – relevance and manageability Underpinned by strong focus on ethics Greater flexibility in completing the log of workplace experience No set submission deadlines - submit at any time after passing all required exams Quicker review of portfolios and issue of results (4 weeks from receipt, sometimes quicker) Faster track to membership Improved guidelines

PEP – further information PEP guide, FAQs & transition guidance: http://www.cipfa.org/Training-and-Qualifications/Current-students/PEP Updates: http://www.cipfa.org/Training-and-Qualifications/Current-students/Student-News Contact studentsupport@cipfa.org or 020 3117 1870 for PEP advice & queries