I am a PRA and in general a promoter of career manager. However, it does cause confusion because it is a tool of multiple uses. It is not just a tool for applying for PR and I think this is what causes the confusion for PR applicants. This is because it is not obvious to the applicant what is relevant or not as many of the tools are just an aide memoire and a central repository to dump your stuff. My advice to applicants is to apply for PR using career manager but note that only what is contained within the actual application form is reviewed and assessed along with the mandatory supporting documents. It also doesn't help the applicant that an assessment summary if completed may or may not be sent with the application and that a DAP is no longer required to be sent with the application. I wonder how that nugget of information has been communicated to the PRA's as I was only made aware of it quite by chance in a throw away comment at my refresher training in Sept 2022. Perhaps quarterly change bulletins rather than two a year could communicate such changes in future as refresher training is every three years. I think other confusion arises because the applicant and PRA don't see the same things in career manager.  A poorly suggested workaround to this was for PRA's to run a dummy application but obviously not submit it. 

My final observation is that career manager is an excellent tool for recording and submitting CPD and I strongly encourage everyone to use it for that. It's advice that i always give to applicants of PR and remind them it is part of the "rules" of membership. Albeit CPD can be recorded by other means. However, the "Quick Code" box, on the career manager page for recording CPD, remains without function and i would suggest its removal as it serves no purpose. Again, it is one of those aspirational things that appeared without explanation about 18 months ago, I think, and just causes confusion and frustration. 

Hello Roy,

Thanks for your breakdown of the process. If I have read your response correctly, are you saying that the Application is what would be accessed and not the self assessment section? I am struggling to understand what is required and it 's affecting my progress with the application. I looked at the application for Institution of Mechanical Engineers and it's very clear and straightforward. They have a section in their application that list out all the UK-SPEC and you just have to complete each section with your evidence. 

Hi,

Yes that's correct, the IET process is different. The important part of the application is the "Employment History" section. In describing your employment history you need to show evidence of all the competences. For example "I was responsible for ensuring that complaints raised to me by my staff were handled confidentially and were escalated to xxx where required" is evidence for the "Ethics" competence (to slightly simplify). The assessors MIGHT read the self assessment but they might not - that section is really for you to use (maybe with your mentor / PRA) to decide for yourself when you are ready to apply.

Which is why we often say here that it's a really good idea to get help from a PRA when completing your application. 

Hope that helps,

Andy

Hi Muritala

Response from Andy Millar answers your question perfectly. Thanks Andy. 

Hello Andy,

Thanks so much for the clarification, it’s highly appreciated.

Thanks Roy

Thanks Roy