The Prince's Trust Award

Certificate and Diploma in Personal Development and Employability Skills (PDE)


Course Overview

The Prince’s Trust qualifications in Personal Development and Employability Skills recognise a breadth of personal skills, qualities and attitudes required by employers across a range of sectors. They have been developed with the aim of progressing learners into further education and/or employment and are available for use with pre and post 16 learners:

They give learners the opportunity to:

  • Develop their own personal growth and engagement in, and through, learning
  • Engage in learning that is relevant to them and support their development of personal skills and attributes that are essential for working life and employment
  • Prepare themselves for progression into further educationprogrammes, apprenticeships or other work-based learning
  • Develop their English and mathematics skills

The qualification is taken over one or two years and covers a wide range of units, each unit has a credit value and these credits add up to either an Award, Certificate or Diploma. Each unit is available at either Entry Level 3, Level 1 or Level 2, making the course accessible to all levels and abilities.

At St John’s we look at the following units:

  • Career Planning
  • Community Project
  • Digital Skills
  • Managing Money
  • Participating in Exercise
  • Planning for Personal Development
  • Preparing for a Healthy Lifestyle
  • Presentation Skills
  • Work Experience

The units have been chosen to give Students the skills and opportunities needed for the world of work and include tasks such as letter writing, budgeting, organisation and time management.


Assessment

Portfolios are internally moderated at regional events and a sample is then requested from The Princes Trust office in London. Samples are posted off for marking and then the different level of awards are then given.

Throughout the course Students will be given the opportunity to work with and be mentored by outside agencies such as Natwest bank, Citizens Advice, The Job Centre Employability Team and Local Businesses. The Princes Trust also offer team building events and World of Work tours as well as offering the chance to apply for bursaries to help students purchase equipment for College Courses.