Firefighter Development
This development section has been produced in order to help individuals gain a greater understanding of the different aspects of the assessment procedure for development, through the ADC (Assessment & Development Centres) to a final PQA (Personal Qualities and Attributes) or competency-based interview. Some FRS’s are no longer using ADCs in a traditional format (e.g. in-basket exercise, role-plays, group exercise). However, you are likely to have a number of activities to under-take as part of any promotions process. This could be anything from an essay style task to an operational skills assessment, psychometric testing to a media presentation exercise. It is easiest to refer to these diverse activities designed to assess potential to progress to the next level as an ‘ADC’. This section is aimed at individuals considering further career development in the FRS (Fire and Rescue Service), or anyone who would simply like to know more about what the processes are likely to involve.
The assessment process can be a daunting one whether you are considering development to a Supervisory, Middle or Strategic Manager position, and even more so if you don’t know what to expect or how to successfully prove that you are ready for new challenges. For anyone committed to moving their career forward, it can be frustrating not knowing the best way to proceed, to make sure you get to the ADC and beyond. The support available from organisations is often only in the form of feedback on performance after the ADC, which can be too late for many. There are services available to help you prepare in advance of your Application Form, PQA Interview or ADC.
You can find out what your strengths and development needs are before you take the tests, and have a chance to do something about them. FRS Development has a range of packages available to help individuals who really want to maximise their chances of success and to develop themselves prior to taking their assessments.
There has been a lot of upheaval in recent years with regards to assessment and career progression. What used to be a relatively straight forward matter of getting through your exams and then applying for promotion has changed dramatically. The processes now used for promotion are lengthy and multi-faceted. In fact, it is no longer about promotion, it’s about ‘development’. With any big change, it can take a long time to get accustomed, to what is now required.
Although the new processes have been around for a few years, there is still some uncertainty around what is expected, what you need to know and what you need to do.
Hopefully some of your queries will be answered through the development section. We also look at what happens after you have earned your place on the development programme and are wanting to apply for promotion, covering the PQA Application Form, and Interview.
Many ADCs focus on the assessment of managerial skills to a significant degree, the attributes required to successfully perform at the next managerial level. Once these have been assessed, further work is required, which is what the development programme should be there to do.
The ADC process is something that effects most of us, whether we are going to put ourselves up for it, or know others who will. The most important thing is to know what it is all about, and how it might impact on you.