1. The Assessment of Professional Competence (APC)
Hilary Lush
Senior Membership Advisor, RTPI

7. Assessment of Professional Competence
Assesses the professional competence of the Licentiate, as a spatial planner, after a two year period of reflective learning.
Need to demonstrate that they work at the suitable professional level to justify election to Chartered status.
Sets a high standard.

8. What is assessed? Written Submission General Presentation
- Practical Experience Statement (PES)
- Professional Competence Statement (PCS)
- Professional Development Plan (PDP)
General Presentation
(Log book – submitted but not formally assessed)
Assessed by your peers – two Chartered Members

9. Practical Experience Statement
Has the Licentiate undertaken sufficient relevant practical experience to justify election to Chartered status?
Covers the practice content and planning tasks that have been undertaken over the period of practical experience
Includes:
The type of employer
Description of role
The type of planning work

10. Professional Competence Statement
Assessed against the following criteria:
An understanding of context
An ability to identify and analyse issues
Competence in gathering appropriate information
Competence in identifying and evaluating a course of action
Competence in initiating action to implement a course of action or dissemination and application of knowledge (academic research)
Engagement in a process of reflection and review
Knowledge and experience of:
Legal framework
Ethical challenges
Political framework
and RTPI Code of Conduct

11. Professional Development Plan
SWOT analysis - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities
and Threats
PDP details goals for personal professional development
and an action plan for achieving those goals
Also…
Enhanced PDP guidance including checklist now available!
PDP support phase to help candidates

12. Use the PDP template (RTPI website).
SWOT must feed into PDP

13. Goal (1-3) - long term
overarching statement
Objectives (2-4) -
sub-goals that will help
you achieve main goal
Actions (2-3) - SMART
activities that will help
you achieve objectives

14. The S.M.A.R.T. Model SMART MODEL MUST BE USED
Specific: Precise about what you want to achieve
Measurable: How will you know if you have achieved the objective?
Achievable: Be realistic!
Relevant: Objectives should relate to your personal or professional
development
Time based: Set a time frame in which the objectives are to be
reached

15. Allow enough time for proof reading and general checking!
General Presentation
MRTPI is a professional qualification and the Institute expects the submission to be completed to a high professional standard.
Proof reading essential.
Check for grammatical and spelling errors.
Paragraph numbers.
Referencing & footnotes.
Word count is 4,500 – 5,500 words.
Learning difficulties – speak with the Membership Team in
confidence.
Allow enough time for proof reading and general checking!

16. What is the log book?
The log book is a means of capturing your experience as it
happens.
Your log book must be kept for a minimum of 12 months
full time spatial planning experience as a Licentiate
member. An effective and strong logbook will, however,
cover the whole Licentiate period.
Reference relevant log book entries in the written
submission – link both if you want the assessor to read a
specific entry.
Logbook provides the basis for your written submission.
Must maintain logbook for period of one year as a Licentiate, but can submit longer
Used by assessors to get a better understanding of the case studies used in your submission

17. Log book Date Nature of Professional Work/Task Undertaken
What skills/competencies has this work developed?
What knowledge and/or understanding has been gained/developed as a result of this work?
What skills/knowledge do you feel you need to develop?

18. Upcoming changes to the APC
(applicable from deadline 5 November 2015)
One consolidated guidance document to
be released at the end of March.
More information on how to
demonstrate criteria/competency.
New APC competency.
Increased word limit.

19. Experience Experience can be:
Full or part time or a combination of both (pro rata).
Paid or voluntary.
Gained in the UK or overseas.
Spread over a period of time longer than two years.
The 24 months does not need to be consecutive.

20. Experience
Experience should be detailed in consecutive blocks of 3 months or more.
Not allowed to count any experience gained whilst registered as a student on an intensive one year masters degree. The Licentiate can only start counting their experience as eligible after successful completion of this type of degree.
Full and part time experience gained alongside a part time degree is acceptable.
Experience gained whilst on a sandwich year or vacation placement may also be counted.

21. The Mentoring Relationship
Important part of the APC.
Mentor is not like a line manager – best if slightly removed.
Challenges candidate to encourage reflection and
analytical thinking.
Must be familiar with the competencies and guidance.
Use their knowledge to guide candidate.
Should offer positive critique of the application.
Confidential relationship.

22. Tips for a successful application:
Read the guidance.
Hold the relevant level and amount of experience.
Demonstrate ALL the assessment criteria.
Focus on PDP.
Use the resources available to you.
Select your case studies carefully.
Be critical.
Reference the submission to the logbook.
Proof read and check your submission.
Start early.

23. The Membership Team Martine Koch Head of Membership
Hilary Lush Senior Membership Advisor
Jenny Tyler Senior Membership Advisor
Robin Bates Professional Development and Membership Officer
Quentin Wood Membership Officer
Diana Tudureanu PSD Administrator
Phone: +44 (0)
Website:
You can find various RTPI groups and contacts on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Thank You!