Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doors?

A question for those who have recently left the mob.
Have you used your PDR (Personal Development Record) when going for job interviews, and was it well received?
Or did you scrub round it and used a normal CV like everyone else?

My PDR was last seen propping open a door, is it worth obtaining a new one?

P.s Old school, PDR is a relatively new concept where you put your qualifications and certificates together in one folder and list the courses you completed whilst in the mob. For new entries a great deal is NVQ based.
Would this have been helpful to you when you left the mob?

 

Re: Are PDR's useful for more than propping open fire d

Tried using it but civvy companies just glanced, those civvy qualifications you receive in the Mob ain't much help outside if you don't have the experience in that job role.

So back to the question, my PDR makes a good door prop, book prop, DVD prop, CD prop.............anything that goes with 'prop'.

Edited: I do however have a nice blue see through folder I keep all my records and qualifications in, the PDF is just so big and lumpy to carry around.

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Sorry , but an oldie coming in to this thread on "THE FLEET" , never even heard of a PDR , I'm 51 and still doing NVQs to keep up to date , though I am doing them by choice , I do try to look ahead a year or two , I would hate to look for another job at my age , love the one I've got but don't take it for granted , [sorry youngings , I'll get back to the oldies sites now] ,Quarterdeck & Diamond Lills , Memories :roll: :lol:

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

I keep my PDR up to date everywhere I go. In it I have put

All my RORRS 1,2,3 and TER's
Quals gained whilst on professional courses
SRCC & LRCC Chits
NVQ's gained
Apprenticeships Gained
Technical Course Certificates
Civvy course qualifications

You get the general idea!

As per always, you've got no-one to blame other than yourself if you don't keep it current. Likewise, as a div senior rate, I badger my division to ensure theirs is filled in correctly. All it takes initally is a couple of hours sorting out and it's a piece of pish to organise it as you go along. The concept of a PDR was not to replace a CV but to keep centralised a record of any (useful!!) qualifications you may have gained through the pusser or in your own time. As an indication, the only useful qualifications I've got in my PDR have been as a result of many many hours and weeks study at my own cost. Standard learning credits-if you don't use them, you lose them. And that is a crying shame to chuck away £175 every financial year.

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

I spent upteen thousand hours at a ships wheel when in the mob, I was gemini cox'n on a mine sweeper going alongside live mines, ferrying bodies to and from other ships and shore, and before that time in the fishing fleet of Ayr.
but none of this qualified me to use a safety boat in a team when teaching kids and the unemployed the art of watersports.
I also took part in the combined forces yacht racing and qualified as an Ocean going crew member, my inshore skippers ticket and an offshore skippers ticket.

I had to sit all the RYA courses at my expense just to keep local govt. officials happy and their books straight.


soo all your paperwork is good for is wiping your arse or indeed holding the door open

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Well, if you did less whinging and were more proactive about seeking out what you were entitled to whilst you were in, you would've found out that you could've got all your RYA qualifications for free (or ultra minimal cost to yourself) through the Pusser as Adventurous Training......

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

I'll think you will find that when ali_p was in the mob, such things were not available. Good to see you are in such a wonderful 'moderator' mode once again. ;-)

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

I'm hoping Ali has not bothered taking his Medication today :lol:

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

In this day and age when so much is based on paper quals and being able to tick boxes this is without doubt excellent advice.

Peter

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

It is a fact of life today that not only does one need paper these days it also has to be the right paper, and getting paper costs money.

I would also add that in this day of claim for anything lawyers the council was quite right as that little bit of paper is some protection for both them and you. There is these days a terrible tendency for the assunption that the lack of paper indicates lack of ability.

Having said that as some one who has sailed for over 40 years and saile yachts for some 30 years, I found the experience of doing my coastal skipper last year a valuable one and well worth the money.

Perhaps we do need refreshers in some of these things from time to time.

Peter

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Hmmm... seems that the modern navy is getting the same treatment for civvy jobs as some of old navy did, even with all of the courses taken and/or qualiifications gained.

I spent 17 years as a dusty and took courses/exams at my own expense in Purchasing, Materials control, handling etc.
At the end of my time the resettlement Officer (a retd three ringer) said that I had to take a retraining course in Yorkshire (nice county, nice beer) to be a.....wait for it.... 'A Storeman' 8O :? -- I think you can guess my reply.

I even applied to the MOD/DGIA (as they were called then) for a job in auditing of Naval and Catering stores accounts (ideal for an exDusty I would have thought), and was politely kissed off with 'not sufficent experience'.
Many others did the same, until I was employed overseas at a vastly better salary than any company in UK could provide

But trying to get the mindset of civ companies out of 'only a serviceman' seems to be as much a problem these days as when I left the mob.

I wish all well, leaving any of the forces shortly, in their efforts to be employed.

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Cheers whitemouse,

That's what I thought. I can see how going to a job interview with a big blue folder with "Royal Navy" plastered all over it containing certificates of pointless value obtained in the mob is going to help. (except relevant educational ones of course).
It's a good idea whilst in the mob to keep all your paper work together, but I can't see how future employers are going to be impressed with it.
Just shows your still regimented and can't sever the ties from the mob.

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

My advice for what it's worth would be don't bother with anything to do with central or local governemnt, they are far to regimented in the way they employ people to be able to translate your qualifications into something they understand. Try looking at the jobs in TTT and follow through to the agencies that are handling the jobs, they at least are interested in ex service persons and will have clients that actually value service experience.

There will be some one out there that wants to employ you at a decent wage, your mission if you choose to accept it is to find them.

Good luck

Peter

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

look ya tit of generous proportions, some of us were too busy and almost at all times unavailable for jollies like some of you newbies.
On sweepers and most small ships the term "paid 24 hours - work them" was one of the most complained about 'rules' of the time.

constant 24/7- 365 NI patrol and fishery protection didnt leave much time for "oh by the way Skipper, can I have a wee bit time off to go swanning around on a yacht to get some tickets for later in life just incase I get a job as a sailing instructor"

you call yourself 'the_Matelot', which is just aswell, cause you will never fill the boots nor the wankstain of 'THE_ Matelot'


.

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Does the RN Resettlement office still exist these days?
I wonder if any of you recent 'retirees' (or are due to retire) from the mob can give a thought, or two, on how they fared with the Resettlement Officer's advice on adaptation to life in the street?

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Ali's right - life on a Hunt doesn't exactly lend itself to AT. Or in fact life in any ship if you're in the Ops or Warfare branches. The RYA qualifications (like the NVQs, Foundation Degrees, LCGI, etc etc) are a new development, and a good idea they are too, as they recognise that what we do is in excess of a civvie qualification but give us some paper to prove it.

the_matelot is clearly in some sort of shorebased secure-at-1555 faggot branch if he swans around shoreside trying to spend his SLC. Some of us who go to sea would love to, just rarely get the time off. Perhaps certain people would have been better off in the RAF (aka the civilians in uniform who bravely defend East Anglia against the USSR, but have time to do hundreds of cheap courses).

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

I don't understand what you are all moaning about, especially 'the matelot' as I managed to get myself on plenty of courses whilst in the RN...

ISSC, Comms PJTs, Baton course, dunker training, Satellite communications, LRLC, POLC, SPO to name but a few.

As for SLC type stuff, I could never be spared to attend any of them except for ECDL, which I never got to complete due to operational reasons.

I totally agree with Ali and Geoffrey with regards to MWV's. Virtually impossible to get away for any courses due to the workload onboard.

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Can't say I see the comments as 'moaning' - the question I thought is/was 'are they any use in the street'.

I expect that most of us took courses designed to assist in promotion, skills etc, whilst in the mob, but does the LRLC / POLC (for example)actually mean anything to a company outside in the street?

A buddy of mine did a brickies course, got his 761/716(?), tried for jobs and got turned down for having no/not enough experience..
It may have changed now, but I'm sceptical about that.

I received all the spiel at my resettlement course (organised, management/leadership & logical skills etc) but it fell on deaf ears at interviews. It may be that the personnel at the company don't really understand what you can, and are able, to achieve - unless they consider you a threat because of these skills ?!
It's almost as though they are scared that you'll take their job....!!

As I said previously, I went overseas, and was lucky enough to break through the glass ceiling into senior management in a job where it was dominated by ex RAF officers, who had convinced the client that ONLY ex commissioned officers could the job, and I lasted until the cutbacks, and was made redundant ( because I actually enjoyed the job) along with some of these ex Officers and returned to UK.

One thing I'm glad about is that I don't have to do any more courses to prove to anyone but myself these days

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

Civvy companies like experience, it means some one else has paid both to train you and to get you up to a reasonable performance standard. I can lay bricks, but could never get a job as a bricky, because with no site experience there is no proof you can get through 1000 bricks a day or whatever the norm these days is.

When I left the mob I think in the last six months I sent out about 120 applications, got abot 10 interviews and 2 job offers. Started the monday after I walked out of Osprey.

My advice would be do pick up the paper quals as the opportunity arises, they do mean something to at least the sort of employers that will take you on. Do try and find companies that routinely hire ex servicemen. Don't set your sights to high, be prepared to take a job below your potential to get experience, remember companies tend to prefer to hire people who are already employed. Always ask every one who can possibly help you, mates who have already left, ex servicemens organisation etc etc. Finally remeber you are the odd one out this time and work to get in step with your civvy buddies.

Peter

 

Re: Are PDR's useful, other than propping open fire doo

It all depends how much you want it. I've only JUST (few weeks ago) joined a shore draft from a sea draft where I am in a 24/7 watch cycle. The qualifications I've got so far, I have managed to gain whilst doing defence watches in the gulf so don't go swinging the lantern with me about having a cheers easy shore draft. Because I haven't had one. I'm warfare branch as well and I haven't been able to get time off for AT in the last 7 years. I've seen it onboard the whole time. People will use any excuse to not better themselves. Not this callsign though. I've sacrificed getting my head down, runs ashore and vast proportions of my leave playing catch up with my studies. Doesn't bother me in the slightest.....It'll all be worth it in the end.