THE INSTITUTE OF MATHEMATICS
AND ITS APPLICATIONS

PLANNING IPD

IPD planning should involve partnership with employers together with individual objectives, goals, and aspirations. Successful careers develop from capitalising on strengths and compensating for weaknesses. Some mathematicians will be certain about these matters at an early stage in their careers, but for others, time will be necessary to clarify them. In many cases initial interests and objectives are technical with broader managerial and business ones developing as a career progresses.

The level of assistance from employers will vary. The IMA has an approval procedure for employers’ graduate training schemes (GTS). Successful completion of a GTS will satisfy the postgraduate training and experience requirements for chartered status. Other employers may have excellent induction and training schemes that will meet part or all the IMA’s requirements.

Mathematicians should inform their employers that they are ASSOCIATE MEMBERS of the IMA and will be seeking chartered membership. Employers are likely to welcome this commitment and as a result be more likely to provide financial and other support to enable its achievement. Employers will normally have in place a staff appraisal scheme. Appraisal meetings with line management are appropriate times to review progress in IPD with employers. 

The IPD process consists of a cycle of six stages:

i.	identification of goals
ii.	determination of competences required
iii.	planning to achieve competences
iv.	making it happen
v.	recording achievements, competences gained and activities undertaken
vi.	review progress towards goals.

Identification of Goals

Goals are important, without any sense of direction a mathematician is unlikely to achieve maximum potential or even may end up working where circumstances dictate regardless of whether this meets their personal aspirations. A basic goal in IPD is to obtain chartered status. Other precise goals could be to complete a Ph.D thesis, obtain Qualified Teacher Status, or be promoted to a more senior grade with the current employer. More general goals may relate to the future type of work, preferred employers or employments areas, locations, and level of seniority.

Determination of Competences

During the period of IPD those participating should aim to develop all the competences listed in IPDS 4 to the extent employment and personal commitments allow. For some goals, these competences will be sufficient but for others additional competences will be a prerequisite for achievement. For instance, some goals will require a good understanding of business methodology similar to that provided in MBA studies. A goal of working overseas may require foreign language skills.

Some ranking of competences can be helpful both in setting goals and in measuring achievements. Three levels are usually sufficient for these purposes. For instance for mathematical and technical topics they could be:
recognised as expert and be fully conversant with the topic and up to date in current research and applications, referred to for advice by others;
conversant with the topic sufficiently to apply it in standard applications, and refer to experts and recent published developments when necessary;
in possession of a basic understanding of the topic but would require advice and assistance on its application.     

In business they could:

• be fully qualified accountants;
• possess a good understanding of financial, management, and cost accounting with ability to produce and understand reports;
• have some appreciation of accounting procedures.

Planning to Achieve

Some IPD objectives will be achieved in the normal course of employment, but others will require careful and detailed planning.  Common to all planning, attention must be given to finance, time, and scheduling. Some financial assistance and time within the working day may be provided by employers, but much may have to be provided by the mathematician from their own resources.  Ambitious objectives may have an impact on private life over an extended period. Planning must be set within a series of time horizons, probably one, two, and five years with greatest emphasis and detail on the year ahead.

Making it Happen

A variety of methods exist to ensure that plans can be achieved. These include:

• formal courses – short or long, involving attendance at an educational institute or by distance learning;
• attendance at conferences, society meetings and reading journals;
• self study;
• on the job experience, working with colleagues who may have qualifications in mathematics or other disciplines;
• experience outside work.

The major contributor to professional development is on the job experience with the other methods being supplementary. The prime requirement of employers is to deliver products, processes, and services to their clients or customers. Work will be allocated and organised to this effect. Opportunities will exist to expand the scope of work undertaken and to volunteer for additional assignments that may contribute to achievement of the plan.  

Recording

Documentation and recording are an essential component of professional development. The first stage in documentation is to ensure a full statement of competences, qualifications, experience, and achievements is available and up to date. This statement will cover education including degree course profiles, work experience, offices held at school and university, and any relevant leisure and community activities. The record is the basis for the future planning of professional development. This should record in a clear manner objectives, time and finance requirements, timescales for completion and measurable outcomes. Some specification of priorities may be helpful.

All achievements, competences gained, work undertaken, training and education should be recorded as they happen or when completed. Careers do not normally progress in an entirely linear manner and experiences and competences gained at one stage in a career may have relevance at a later stage rather than immediately. A portfolio of documents relevant to work and other experience should be maintained, always taking into account obligations concerning the confidentiality of employers’ information.

Review Progress

Periodic reviews of progress should take place. A full review should take place at least once a year, but periodic reviews and updates should take place on a more frequent basis. It can be helpful to link reviews into the schedule for performance appraisals as considerable linking between the two is desirable. Major revisions to the plan may be necessary due to changes in work responsibilities or a move to a new employer or other changed circumstances.

The review should consider the extent to which targets have been achieved and the impact of changed circumstances. Equally important is to identify the improvements that have resulted from the development programme and how newly gained knowledge and skills can be best applied.

In the initial stages of a career frequent and often substantial updating and revisions to objectives may be either or both necessary and desirable. Objectives may have been too ambitious or not ambitious enough. Longer experience in the work environment may provide more realistic guidance to the levels of achievement possible, and change views on future priorities and preferences for the type of work undertaken and employers.

Mentoring

The benefits of mentoring are now well recognised. Many organisations in the public and private sectors have established arrangements. A mentor is a more experienced professional who can provide impartial advice on personal and professional development needs and can give guidance on career planning.

Different benefits can result from mentors provided by the employer and external mentors. The former are likely to possess a better understanding of some of the issues under discussion, the opportunities available within the organisation, and the attitudes and procedures of the employer. They will be careful not to infringe on the responsibilities and prerogatives of line management and may not be the best person with whom to discuss opportunities outside the organisation. External mentors may have a broader approach and be able to discuss a wider range of issues. Finding an appropriate external mentor may be more difficult and involve using personal and family contacts.