KS4 - Skills for Personal Development

Four activities including research skills, functional skills, thinking skills and identifying what skills you have, and which you may need to develop as part of your careers planning.

These lessons not only help students realise the importance of key skills, but also help them to identify those that they have already acquired.

Teaching lessonplan icon
Tru identifying skills

Identify and explain the main skills that employers say they value

Teaching lessonplan icon
Functional skills top

Four activities on the topic of skills.

Contains 2 Document
Teaching lessonplan icon
Careers research skills small

Students consider their personal skills and what employers are looking for.

Contains 2 Document
Teaching lessonplan icon
Thinking skills

What makes and effective learner? Identify skills and qualities needed to be successful in school and work.

Contains 3 Document

Skills for Personal Development - Activities for Careers

During their studies, students will have developed a number of skills. Many of these skills will be of great value to then when seeking employment. So what are the most important skills that employers are looking for in job applicants?

Lesson 1 - Careers Research Skills

In the first skills lesson, students will look more closely at how their personal skills and qualities affect their career options. We know that there is a recession, and the state of the economy is making it difficult for young people to find work. But are there ways they can increase their chances of finding work doing something they enjoy?

Lesson 2 - Identifying Skills

In the second skills lesson, students will consider their current understanding of employer requirements. The series of activities involves identifying skills, the characteristics of these and how they can be demonstrated.

Lesson 3 – Thinking Skills

In the third session in this module, students look more closely at the attributes associated with difference skills. This then enables them to conduct an audit of their own skills and create a 'personal reflections' record

Lesson 4 - Functional Skills

These are the essential skills in English, Maths and ICT that enable everyone to deal with the practical problems and challenges of life – at home, in education and at work. For example they help us recognise good deals when making purchases, in writing an effective job application, or when using the internet to access information. In this activity, students identify their own strengths in relation to these skills.

Vocational Qualifications

These skills for personal development lessons can be used to support learning outcomes for Key Skills and Workplace Core Skills from City & Guilds.