Developing skills for the workplace: getting things done
This element focuses on building foundational employability skills by engaging learners in simple decision-making, problem-solving, and collaborative tasks within a workplace context. It emphasises active participation and evidence of personal contribution, recognising even small steps in developing independence and teamwork. The practical application involves real-life scenarios where learners can demonstrate their ability to make choices, overcome challenges, and cooperate with peers or colleagues.
Assessment criteria
Topic Overview
The ASDAN Entry Level Award in Personal Progress (Entry 1) is a foundational qualification designed to support learners with significant learning difficulties, including those with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). It focuses on developing essential personal, social, and communication skills through a highly individualised, activity-based approach. The award is part of the wider ASDAN Personal Progress suite, which aims to build confidence, independence, and a sense of achievement in learners who may not yet be ready for more formal academic study.
This qualification covers six key areas: Communication, Numeracy, ICT, Personal and Social Development, Independent Living Skills, and Community Participation. Learners work towards achieving a set number of credits by completing practical, real-life tasks that are tailored to their individual needs and abilities. For example, in Communication, a learner might demonstrate understanding by responding to a familiar person or object, while in Independent Living Skills, they could practise dressing or feeding themselves. The emphasis is on progress, however small, rather than reaching a fixed standard.
The ASDAN Entry Level Award in Personal Progress is important because it provides a structured framework for recognising and celebrating the achievements of learners who often face the greatest challenges. It helps to build a foundation for lifelong learning, promotes inclusion, and prepares learners for the next steps in their education or adult life, whether that be further ASDAN qualifications, supported employment, or increased independence in daily living.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Individualised Learning: Each learner has a unique programme of study based on their personal targets, which are set in collaboration with teachers, therapists, and carers.
- →Credit-Based System: Learners accumulate credits by completing challenges in different areas. Each credit represents a small, achievable step, such as 'Responding to a familiar person' or 'Using a switch to operate a toy'.
- →Evidence of Progress: Progress is recorded through observation, photographs, video, or work samples. The focus is on demonstrating improvement, not on passing or failing.
- →Functional Skills: The qualification embeds basic communication, numeracy, and ICT skills into everyday activities, making learning relevant and practical.
- →Person-Centred Planning: The learner's interests, preferences, and needs drive the learning process, ensuring that activities are motivating and meaningful.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Be involved in decision making2. Be involved in problem solving3. Work with others
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for demonstrating active involvement in a decision-making process, evidenced by expressing a preference or choice in a workplace-related activity (e.g., selecting materials for a task).
- Award credit for showing engagement in problem-solving by identifying a simple issue and suggesting or attempting a solution with appropriate support, such as asking for help when stuck.
- Award credit for working with others, evidenced by taking turns, sharing resources, or following instructions within a paired or small group activity to complete a joint task.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡Capture evidence through photographs, witness statements, or short video clips showing the learner in the moment of decision-making, problem-solving, or collaboration – these are often more compelling than written notes.
- 💡For problem-solving, document the process: the challenge encountered, the learner's response (even if minimal), and the outcome, highlighting the learner's involvement at each stage.
- 💡When working with others, ensure the evidence clearly lists the learner's specific actions within the group, such as passing an item, saying 'thank you', or following a partner's lead.
- 💡Tip 1: Focus on capturing clear evidence of progress. Use video or photographs to show the learner's starting point and then their improvement over time. This makes it easier for moderators to see the progress being made.
- 💡Tip 2: Break down challenges into very small steps. For example, if the challenge is 'Communicate a preference', start by offering two choices and recording the learner's response, even if it's just a glance or a smile. Every small step counts.
- 💡Tip 3: Involve parents and carers in the process. They can provide valuable evidence of progress in different settings, such as at home or in the community, which strengthens the portfolio.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Assuming that the learner must make decisions independently without support – this unit values involvement, not total independence.
- Overlooking evidence of partial problem-solving; assessors may miss recording attempts that were unsuccessful but still demonstrated the learner's engagement.
- Confusing 'working with others' with simply being present in a group; the learner must actively contribute or interact, not just be alongside peers.
- Misconception: 'This qualification is only for learners who cannot achieve anything else.' Correction: The Entry Level Award is designed for learners with significant needs, but it is a valuable qualification in its own right, recognised by Ofqual and other bodies. It celebrates real progress and provides a pathway to further learning.
- Misconception: 'Learners must complete all challenges in a set order.' Correction: The programme is flexible. Learners can choose challenges that suit their current abilities and interests, and they can repeat challenges to show improvement over time.
- Misconception: 'The qualification is just about ticking boxes.' Correction: The focus is on meaningful progress. Each challenge requires evidence of learning, and the process is designed to be engaging and person-centred, not bureaucratic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for ASDAN Developing skills for the workplace: getting things done
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •No formal prerequisites are required for this qualification, as it is designed for learners with significant learning difficulties. However, learners should have a baseline assessment to identify their current abilities and needs.
- •It is helpful if learners have some experience of structured routines or one-to-one support, but this is not essential.
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Be involved in decision making2. Be involved in problem solving3. Work with others
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