1. The Mysterious Language of Competencies

2. Introduction and housekeeping

3. In your groups Introduce yourself to the others in your group
Why have you come to this session today?
What do you know already about ‘competencies’?

4. Objectives By the end of this session you will:
Understand what competencies are and why they are important
Have looked at the Competency Framework for your degree programme
Have considered your own individual mix
Have identified which competencies you want to work on
Have practised describing your competencies and the situations in which you developed them

5. What is a ‘Competency’? Competencies are:
The skills and experiences you have already
The skills and experiences you will want to develop to be able to confidently pursue your goals – whatever they are
The skills and experiences that employers look for when they recruit for a role

6. Competency Development
4. Unconscious Competence: “I am so familiar with this skill that I no longer need to think about how to do it well”
3. Conscious Competence: “I have learned how to do this skill and I know the processes I must go through to perform”
2. Conscious Incompetence: “Now I’ve tried this skill, I realise that I need to learn how to do it”
Using the example of learning to drive, play a musical instrument or do a sport is a great way to demonstrate this model.
1. Unconscious Incompetence: “I have never tried and I have no idea how bad I am at this skill!”
Four Stages of Competence - Model developed by Noel Burch, Gordon Training International,

7. Competency Framework Specific to your degree programme
Guide to the competencies that you have from your degree and other activities
Help you in applications and interviews for internships, graduate jobs or further study

8. What competencies do I get from my degree?
Working in teams and leading others
Communication: written/verbal
Meeting deadlines and project planning
Self management and motivation
Technical skills/subject knowledge
Also from membership of societies/part-time work/volunteering
On top of this: your values, interests and motivations
You each have a unique combination

9. How will employers assess your competencies?
Assessed throughout whole application process (CV/cover letter/application form/interview)
Demonstrate your competencies using the STAR approach
SITUATION/TASK/ACTION/RESULT Happy Ending (make it measurable and positive!)
Important to provide evidence of each skill

10. Competency Framework for your degree
Insert URL of completed tailored Competency Framework here

11. Competency Framework Team-working Scientific Leadership & Management
Skills
Leadership &
Management
Potential
Ethical and sustainable practice
Communication
Self – management & motivation
Professionalism
Professional Development
Commercial and business operation

12. Sports teams and societies
Laboratory practicals
Previous employment
School activities: eg. Duke of Edinburgh Award
Tutorials
Previous employment:
Supervision of staff
School activities: eg. Duke of Edinburgh Award
Sports teams and societies

13. Oral Presentations
Tutorials
Project reports
Poster Presentations
Written assignments
Balancing Work vs Play
Previous work experience
Final Year Project
Meeting deadlines
Perseverance during difficult work

14. Fundraising Activities
Previous work experience
Modules studied at A-level and during degree
Committee Position in Student Society
Summer placements
Volunteer Programs
Previous work experience
Involvement in student societies
Outreach Activities

15. Maintaining accurate records of your experiments and your work
Awareness of plagiarism and fabrication in your work
Understanding good laboratory practice
Managing research projects
Subject knowledge from degree – module results
Technical experience of biological techniques
Technical knowledge from
Laboratory placements
Understanding of biological techniques

16. Thinking about your competencies
In your groups, look at the competencies you have been given. Using the Competency Framework as a starting off point, describe the competencies you have, and how you developed them.
Write these examples onto your flipchart page and be ready to discuss them.

17. How to talk the talk Describing competency in team- working: On a CV……
Experience of working within groups including planning, co-ordinating and implementing.
Gained from laboratory placements and organising sporting tournament for netball team.
As a result of efficient team working during a laboratory placement, the hypothesis was answered and the assignment was graded 80%.

18. How to talk the talk Describing competency in team- working:
On an application form…..
During my undergraduate degree I regularly perform group laboratory practicals, where I have gained experience in team-working.
In this setting I plan and co-ordinate experimental tasks within a small group.
I have learnt how to work well with others and efficient planning resulted in 1st class grades in the associated assignments.

19. How students talk about their competencies
Insert appropriate videos of students
articulating their competencies.

20. What competencies are employers looking for? And how to find them!
Some adverts may be very vague
Look at the descriptions for similar positions
Read company websites (company values)
Look at job descriptions for other job roles within the company

21. What competencies are employers looking for? And how to find them!
…….should be proficient in Microsoft office software (Word, Excel, etc.). Previous experience in ornithological and habitat survey skills would be an advantage. A clean driving licence is essential and access to a personal vehicle is advisable given the remote nature of the field station…….The candidate should be fit and capable of working alone in mountainous areas.

22. What competencies are employers looking for? And how to find them!
The role will provide the opportunity to learn enzyme assays as well as cell and molecular biology techniques……The successful placement student will have the opportunity to work on drug discovery projects at different stages. They will work within multi-disciplinary project teams, but will also have the opportunity to work independently on their own research project.
More emphasis on the role itself rather than the competencies but can still directly pull them out

23. What competencies are employers looking for? And how to find them!
Look at person specification and job advertisements you have been given:
What are the competencies required?
How do they relate to the Competency Framework you’ve been given?
How many of these competencies can you demonstrate?
Look carefully at the job advert and description and use this to identify the skills and expertise that are required in this role
Sandwich placements – may not have person specifications

24. Summary
Employers use the language of competencies to describe the skills required for a role
You will have gained and will be developing competencies from your degree and other activities
Competency framework available insert the site of your edited Competency Framework/HEA document
Consider examples of the competencies you have and evidence of them, STAR and Happy Ending