Personal development planning or PDP is a structured framework you can use to:

• become aware of skills you have
• identify and develop skills you need
• work out what you want to achieve and how to achieve it
• focus on potential study, career and personal development options and goals
• develop a source of information for CVs, job applications, interviews and appraisals at work
• demonstrate your readiness for promotion or for development opportunities.

PDP supports the idea that learning is a lifelong and life-wide activity. The process of PDP can strengthen the capacity of learners to reflect upon their own learning and achievement and to plan for their own personal, educational and career development. This is a core learning process, required throughout the education system and in many employment and continuing professional development contexts.

Personal development planning: guidance for institutional policy and practice in higher education. The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), February 2009.

You may come across a PDP process as part one of your level one modules. If you're not introduced to PDP via your level one module(s), or are starting at a different level or between modules, you may find it useful to look at the PDP process and resources.

This video introduces you to the Personal Development Planning process and highlights how it can be used to develop different aspects of your life.