a long table of speakers and audience members facing the table in an office setting

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
Case Study Skills Workshop

2025

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service partnered with VCA to support candidates in developing strong written communication skills for use in their management and leadership roles, as well as in preparation for the Case Study exercise within the Career Progression Gateway (CPG) assessments. Clear and effective written communication is essential for leadership roles, and the Case Study, drawing directly on these skills, is often one of the most challenging assessment components.

Candidates needed support to:

  • Understand the purpose and context of the Case Study
  • Analyse data and situations effectively
  • Structure their responses clearly and concisely
  • Avoid common mistakes and approach the task with confidence

VCA delivered a 2.5-hour Case Study Skills Workshop, providing candidates with practical tools, strategies, and techniques to succeed. The workshop focused on:

  • Clarifying the Case Study and its requirements
  • Structuring responses in a logical and concise way
  • Analysing data and context to form well-thought-out solutions
  • Avoiding common errors and building confidence

Pre-course preparation and post-session resources were included to support continued learning and development.

Workshop participants showed measurable improvements:

  • Pass rate increased from 46% in 2024 to 70% in 2025
  • Average score increased from 59.9 to 63.2

This demonstrates that the workshop helped candidates understand the Case Study exercise, structure their responses more effectively, and perform more confidently overall. Importantly, it also strengthened candidates’ written communication skills more broadly, enhancing their ability to produce clear, well-structured written work in their roles.

Providing practical, skills-focused workshops helps candidates develop their written communication, approach assessment exercises with confidence, and build the leadership capability of the service.

Discover how we supported Kent FRS by developing the skills of their HR and Development Team to deliver structured, effective CPG development feedback in-house.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service
Virtual Feedback Training for Line Managers

2025

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) partnered with VCA to deliver a virtual feedback training session for line managers, aimed at enhancing their ability to provide constructive feedback and support team development.

The organisation requested guidance on providing feedback on the CPG development reports, with which they were unfamiliar, and on understanding how to link insights from these reports to workplace behaviours and performance improvements.

The session focused on four key areas:

  • Effective Feedback Conversations: Helping managers guide open discussions that align expectations and address challenges positively.
  • Leveraging Strengths: Using individual strengths and motivations to engage and develop team members more effectively.
  • Creating Learning Opportunities: Encouraging hands-on development such as mentorship and cross-departmental collaboration.
  • Collaborative Development: Supporting a joint approach where managers and team members set achievable goals together.

The training enhanced coaching and feedback skills, helping line managers provide clarity on strengths and areas for growth. It contributed to a supportive learning culture within KFRS and improved managers’ ability to foster ongoing development in their teams.

Targeted feedback training strengthens leadership capability, encourages continuous learning, and builds confidence in managers to support their teams effectively.

Discover how we supported Kent FRS by developing the skills of their HR and Development Team to deliver structured, effective CPG development feedback in-house.

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If you’d like to learn more about how VCA can help your organisation assess, develop, and retain talent, get in touch:

+44 (0)1202 798272