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The Helix

The Helix diagram shows the biggest advantage of IPDS: that it gives you the choice of enhancing and maintaining the skills at your current level or working to gain the skills for the next stage in your career.

If you wish to develop your career and move onto the next stage, it offers a structured, logical path that allows you to achieve your aims. If you prefer to develop your skills at your current level, it gives you the opportunity to continually update them so that you perform at your best all of the time.

Based on National Occupational Standards (NOS), the modules in IPDS have been aligned with National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ's) so that everyone is benchmarked to the same skill level. The NOS have defined the following roles: Firefighter, Control Operator, Crew Manager, Watch Manager, Station Manager, Group Manager, and Area Manager.