Work Based Learning Reflection Pdp

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• Post date March 30, 2023
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My Work-based learning took place in a voluntary sector. I offer regular support, friendship, and practical help to young families under stress in their own homes, helping to prevent family crisis or breakdown. Volunteers are expected to provide a high level of commitment and reliability. In today’s job market graduates are faced with challenges such as finding jobs as said “employers say students don’t have the ability to think critically, innovate, solve complex problems and work well in a team” and newly graduate do not have much tangible experience(BBC, 2015).  Work based learning has many beneficial factors that could contribute to being a successful graduate such as giving individuals the skills to move forward, extend skill base, change professions and climb the management ladder (Brennan and Little, 1997).

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My role includes building the confidence and independence of the family I support by Committing to a minimum of 2-4 hours per week home-visiting according to the family’s needs, Visiting the families in their own homes, where the dignity and identity of each individual can be respected and protected,  Reassuring families that difficulties in bringing up children are not unusual, Emphasizing the positive aspects of family life, developing a relationship with the family, reliable presence in that family, drawing on own experience of parenting to encourage parents’ strengths and emotional well-being for the benefit of their children, Encouraging families to widen their network of relationships and to use effectively the support and services available for them in the community. (Support and friendship for families, 2017).

In return for my commitment, the association will provide me an excellent formal and informal support from the family & Volunteer Coordinator, other volunteers and the trustee board also the opportunities for self-development and ongoing training, social events and the opportunity to get more involved in the scheme if interested (e.g. fundraising, promotional events, being a trustee), the opportunity to be involved in a vital local service and to be part of a national and global network.

What are the challenges in health and social care?

Include commercial awareness

Employability

My overall aim is to be able to identify job opportunities within the health and social care sector, prepare and analyses an up to date curriculum vitae and make an application for suitable employment and critically reflect on the subsequent learning experience.

Action plan

My first aspect of jobs search is locating positions that are available and seeking applicants. I will make use of few methods of searching that permit me to make the most of my time through graduate’s job sources that enable me to filter my job search and location. I will Search for jobs that are of interest to me within the health and social care sector, Job search procedure as an undergraduate student can be very inefficient, effort full of self-assessment, anxiety, enthusiasm as well as emotional. To make sure that my Job search is effective and efficient a slot will be book with CV clinic as they specialize in creating professional, individually tailored resume for student as it is very crucial that resumes are up to date as that is the first meaningful interaction with any prospective employer.

Current situation

Have currently completed my resume and cover letter with the help of the careers and resume clinic, a job was advertised by the University of Bradford which have applied for and completed the application form and sent back to the employer. As Face to face interview is require as part of process, while am waiting for the employer feedback I will use that opportunity to do practice interview and also look and apply for other job.

Steps to Success

Complex plans are easier to achieve if you break them down into smaller steps

What?

Jobs searching can be very complex, therefore have set myself plans that will help me get the most out of the time have set for myself. The plans include:

• Create a CV and cover letter geared towards the job am trying to obtain and make sure that is free of spelling and grammatical errors.
• During job application detailed research on the jobs, company, industry, sector and particularly the role am applying will be done also a close look at the company website and reading around the career area will help doing the process of applying for jobs.
• Complete and application form
• Know my strengths and weaknesses as it is important that I have full understanding of myself because without this step my job search will have no direction, identifying what am good at, what I enjoy doing the most and when am I most happy will help me create a job search strategy.
• Networking is another way of me learning about current job openings, it will help to find people of the same career goal who can motivate and encourage me while it also gives me up to date information about the sector am looking to go into.
• What skills, qualities and qualifications do these jobs require, and how they match mine?
• Engage in work experience within my area of interest

 

How?

• Book an appointment with the CV clinic and careers advice service to get support in keeping my CV and cover letter up to date and real through making sure is not more than two pages as employers spend lots of time looking at one CV.  Having different CV and cover for each jobs role I want to apply for will help me point out the main skills required by the company.
• Including all relevant skills, qualities and experience while making sure it goes in line with the job description and person specification as it will outline the exact skills and experience the employer is looking for, giving specific examples demonstrating when I have gained the experience or used the skills.
• Sell my achievements as this is the first chance potential employers must get to know me by including any achievement I think will be relevant to the role and that makes me the perfect candidate for the for the job.
• Practicing the four core skills such as reading, writing, speaking and listening as English is not my first language I need to make sure I surround myself in an English-speaking environment where I can learn passively, as this will help me in speaking and writing during interview.
• To identify my strength and weaknesses I will give long and short-time goals and focus on working towards it and after is been complete doing a self-assessment will enable me identify areas that needs improvements.
• Creating a professional profile that will market me to recruiters out there as they use LinkedIn and other social media outlet to find skilled and candidates.

When?

• Before job search the general CV, I have will be updated then as the job search goes on in will make changes to the skills qualities and experience according to the job specification.
• Once a week it will be ideal to dedicate 2 hours of my time
• Review my achievements every three months and making notes of how they were attained.
• I will give myself 2 months to complete any long-term goal sets and one month for short term goals.
• Create a professional profile before job search that will help me keep up to date with information’s needed to boost my job search.

Strengths

• Planning and organizing
• Communication
• Free CV clinic and careers advice
• Personal development
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving.
• Initiative and enterprise.
• Self-management.
• Active learner
• Organizing data
• working autonomously
• Evaluating and monitoring own performance

Weaknesses

• Creative writing when it comes to marketing myself
• Creativity
• Leadership
• Focusing on details too much
• Lack of certain experience
• Not spontaneous, better when prepared
• Perfectionism
• Numeracy skills
• Presenting to large groups
• I get nervous when presenting ideas to clients, and this fear of public speaking often takes the passion out of my presentations.

Opportunities

• Transferable skills
• Help from Family and friend
• Support from the careers advice
• Personal development
• Flexibility
• Critical thinking
• Self-assessment
• Multi-task
• Able to adapt to changes as change is constant
• Open minded

Threats

• Competitive work force
• Using the appropriate words to market myself
• Constant demand from the work force
• Lack of certain experience
• Not spontaneous, better when prepared
• Presenting to large groups

Supporting Resources

List any physical, electronic or human resources that might help you achieve the agreed actions

• Access to the Internet
• Friends
• Family
• University library
• Books
• Journals

Reflection

What have you learnt from thinking about, writing about or carrying out this plan?

From writing this action plan it allows me to execute a structured plan for the end goal I want to achieve. It provides me appropriate foundation in prioritizing myself and helps understand how best I can work on my own, some of the skills I thought are my weaknesses turned out to be my strengths and have learnt to make the goals I identify as small as possible.  The action plan helps me in identifying what skills, experience and qualification most company want and it helps me set goals that are achievable for myself in other to acquire does of the qualities am missing out

Structured Reflection

About This Reflection

Johns’ model (Johns, 2000) was developed for nursing practitioners but is applicable to any field. Johns suggests that the “Model for Structured Reflection” is a technique that is especially useful in the early stages of learning how to reflect. The “Looking in” and “Looking out” is a way of challenging natural tendency to judge ourselves too harshly.

Before I start the process of job search I have an unrealistic expectation of securing myself a graduate level job with high salary, location within 15 to 20 miles, a 9am – 5pm shift and not willing to work weekends, with the experience I have attain I believe that will secure me the perfect job I want.

I made use of a job search engine to advance my search for jobs online, by searching most of the top job site, company sites and all positions available on job listings, I also create an online professional profile that allows me find employment opportunities and build my career and helps recruiters find me easily evidence. My resume was edited and updated with the support of the CV clinic and careers advice.

Whilst searching for jobs I came up with the conclusion that job search procedure as an undergraduate student can be very inefficient, effort full of self-assessment, anxiety, enthusiasm as well as emotional.

Reaction To The Event

During the process at some point I felt really frustrated as I thought the job search will never be successful and effort wasted due to not getting any role in the company my placement took place, for some time there was no jobs that matches or go in line with my expectation, also it was taking longer than I expected which gets me emotional.

Constant uncertainty of not knowing when I will secure myself a job and when the job search will end, feeling of irrelevance from a lack of replies to my resumes and cover letter have posted online, the amount of rejections letter to the positive replies, the nervousness of having to settle for something outside my expectation all became too overwhelming.

Event Analysis

What can be learned from your reactions or the reactions of others? Can the event be analysed with the aid of theory or related to other experiences?

I have learnt that am not going to be successful in every position I apply for, and unfortunately that the company will not give me feedback to help understand their reason for their decision. So, it’s up to me to self-evaluate what happened and what I can do to improve in the future such as critically reevaluate my job search strategy, being well-focus, prepare and staying connected and targeting strong industries, setting multiple job goals and pursuing different locations. Finally, I will make sure I develop a disciplined and organized daily job search schedule. Not allowing frustration about rejection to disturb my daily job search routine and full-time commitment to securing myself a job.

Future Planning

What would you do in similar circumstances in the future? If relevant, how might similar circumstances be avoided?

In the future I will Identify misrepresentations perceptive of me thinking am graduating soon so therefore I need to secure a graduate level job because the job market request more than just a degree after identifying these perceptive I will work towards changing them, seek advice and help from friends and family, local support group, job center and online. Give myself a break just to relax and meditate, keep educating myself during the process of search to keep improving the skills already acquired and learning new ones through getting myself a work experience either paid or unpaid.

Overall Reflection

From thinking about and writing about this event, what have you learned about your learning and development?

The employability self-assessment exercise help in discovery of my learning and development as it is an initial self-assessment exercise that help me to develop any skills that I feel are of importance to me in planning my future and helping me to get into and staying in employment. This exercise helps me in discovering the skills which are essential that I need to develop over the time I will spend in University such as analyzing and numeracy skills. The exercise consists of eight skills that are frequently sought by employers when recruiting graduates and they are not entirely related to any single career area or degree subject. These skills include written communication, verbal communication, analyzing, planning and organizing, leadership, persuading, co-operating and numeracy.

Employability

Employability refers to individual personal achievements, attributes, understandings and other combination of factors that allow graduate to progress towards gaining and staying in employment and being successful in any chosen occupation (Knight and Yorke, 2003).

According to Harvey L. (2003) employability is not just about getting a job as a graduate. It is about learning and developing critical, reflective abilities, with a view to empowering and enhancing learning. In today’s job market Employers placed less attention to graduate’s degree as they see is as necessary but not enough for them to be recruited rather they focus on individual’s employability skills and personal attributes that will be of benefits to themselves, the workforce, the community and the economy (Yorke, 2006).

According to Lee Harvey etl. (1997) employers want graduates with knowledge, understanding, willingness to learn, self-management skills, adaptability, communication skills, team-working, initiative and enterprise, analyzing and investigating and commercial awareness.

In the person-specification section of the job application form, key skills required for the role are listed. I possess some of this already while I need to develop some of it, I posse Communication and self-management skills which includes writing and presenting written, demonstrated through resume and cover letter. Verbal reports, role plays and working in groups demonstrated during the interviewing stage.

I need to develop my Initiative and enterprise skills that includes brainstorming activities, this can be achieve through thinking, planning and initiating of activities with service users at placement, designing innovative and creative practices this will be demonstrated in the enterprise section which involved carrying out a small project by setting out the aims and objectives, considering how it will link to the target wider health, wellbeing and social care and critically analyzing supports/resources needed to realize my ideas, and how it will be of benefit to service users and the placement organization itself (Gardiner and hughes,2000).

Professionalism and Integrity, Regardless of the line of work am searching for, professionalism and integrity are important skills to master this can be achieve by Joining professional networking groups and leadership development programs such as students presentative, creating own student society and volunteering in a coordinating role for the local community which am currently doing and also Familiarizing myself with people in the industry whose level of professionalism I respect and am also working towards matching up their action and behaviors (Verma. 2012).

The importance of employability is rapidly growing in a constantly changing environment, so there for these soft skills is essential to enable graduate to meet challenges and to cope with the increasing, demanding and stressful workforce.  According to Greatbach and Lewis (2007) basic employability skills are important because the employment market is strongly competitive, employers in private, public and the third sector are looking for graduate who are flexible, can be creativity and have the skills to undertake a variety of tasks in different environments. Also, they enable graduate employees to get along with their colleagues, to make critical decisions, solve problems, develop respect and become strong representatives for the workforce.

Entrepreneurship

 

Structured Reflection *

About This Reflection 

Describe what it is you thought, observed, experienced or did

Using Kolb’s Learning Cycle that argues we learn from our experiences of life, even on an everyday basis. It also treats reflection as a basic part of such learning. According to Kolb (2005), the process of learning follows a pattern or cycle consisting of four stages which involves what Kolb refers to as ‘reflective observation which involves thinking about what we have done and experienced, concrete experience which involves learning from what happened, abstract conceptualization involves interpreting the meaning of experience and active experimentation involves testing the hypotheses adopted.

In my work placement, I particularly focus on managing complexity and generating new ideas, as every day is different we are faced with new challenges that require a new method of dealing with, which are some of the basic skills required of an entrepreneur. Every week I must think of new, fun and creative ways to interact with my client this include planning of activities and using own initiative to overcome complex situation such as dealing with client anger management and communication barrier. I use my own method to calm service users down which is through rewarding with something they love if they listen and cooperative with me. Sometimes client might not want to participate in the activities due to no being interested and not liking the activities which mostly makes me feel like am not putting enough effort and not being creative enough or am not using a person-centred approach which may explain why individual may not be interested.

Reaction To The Event *

Describe your thoughts and feelings. If relevant, describe your physical, intellectual or emotional reaction to it

My work placement involves me visiting service users in their own home where I was faced with day to day challenges and I must try and overcome these challenges in other to progress and meet up to the aims and objective of the organization, these challenges include communication barrier, anger management, planning and implementing of activities. At the start, I was nervous and worried if client would welcome and cooperate with me as cooperation is the main element at being successful in the organization. Also, I was anxious and in doubt if I will be able to successfully overcome these challenges at work.

Event Analysis *

What can be learned from your reactions or the reactions of others? Can the event be analysed with the aid of theory or related to other experiences?

Reflecting on what happened after placement each day, helps in increasing my self-awareness which is a key element to emotional intelligence, I gain more ideas and more understanding relating to the organisation and clients, it also boosts my creative thinking skills and encourages active engagement within the workforce. Also, it helps me think about what could have been done well.  Critically thinking about this action plan aid my understanding more on how the activities can be planed and implemented more effectively.

Future Planning *

What would you do in similar circumstances in the future? If relevant, how might similar circumstances be avoided?

In other to avoid similar circumstances it is vital to give my-self time to critically think about ways to move forward such as putting everyone into consideration through using person-centred approach to meet each client’s needs based on their growth and development. It is also essential to understand the unique characteristics of each person, this will help them to feel good about themselves. Creating a safe, healthy and inviting learning environment will also encourage them to participate.

Overall Reflection *

From thinking about and writing about this event, what have you learned about your learning and development?

From thinking about the event have learnt that am an active changer as I am highly motivated learner who employs a wide range of approaches to learning. I take advantage of opportunities to learn through doing and reflecting, through establishing approaches and new ideas of doing things.

Action plan

To critically analyse the skills required of an entrepreneur.

Overall Aim

What is it you are generally trying to achieve or accomplish? You can add more detail in the ‘steps to success’ section

To critically analyses the skills required of an entrepreneur and to Critically analyse the commercial opportunities and challenges within health & social care. Entrepreneurship is important because it is the commercial device through which inadequacies in thrifts are identified and mitigated” (Baum et al, 2007, p.5).

Current Situation

Describe what you can currently do, or the stage you are at in a project or other development activity. What is it you are trying to change?

• Willingness Responsibility: currently am keen towards taking full responsibilities in whatever I engage myself in, which is one of the main, strength of being a successful entrepreneur. As an undergraduate, I prowess good communication skills such as written and verbal communication skills as being an entrepreneur involves the ability t
• To work, communicate and understand people. Although there are areas for developments as I will strive to develop my skills from good to being excellent in communicating and, I would change my perceptions on willingness to take risks as I know to be a successful entrepreneur I must be willing to take risks. I have great passion towards my employment life as I believe what doing is worth doing well, as this will play an essential role in terms of becoming a successful entrepreneur at a global rate in future.

Steps to Success

Complex plans are easier to achieve if you break them down into smaller steps

What?

• Develop my risks taking and communication skills through adhering to strict safety standers and by being brief, specific, not being afraid to make mistakes

How?

Practicing the four core skills such as reading, writing, speaking and listening every day. As English is not my first language I need to make sure I surround myself in an English-speaking environment where I can learn passively.

Deciding how much time a week I will spend on practicing ad sticking to that plan.

keeping a notebook of the new words have learnt and use them in sentences whenever I speak.

Give myself long-time goals and focus on working towards it

Give myself short-term goals and rewarding myself when does goals has been met.

Allow opportunities for falling so I can how I handle errors

When?

Every 2 to 4 days a week

At 1 hour, every 2 to 3 days a week

Give myself 2 months to complete any long-term goal sets

A month to complete short-term goal.

Strengths

• Self-awareness
• Supportive families and friends
• relevant and useful resources
• Creative thinker
• Independent
• Knowledge seeker
• Determination
• Willingness to accept mistakes

Weaknesses

• Inexperience
• A change in lifestyle and family lifestyle
• Making wrong decisions
• Lack of understanding
• Time management
• Competitive
• Scared of not being successful

Opportunities

• Transferable skills
• I believe in myself
• Flexibility
• Self-assessment
• Multi-task
• Able to adapt to changes as change is constant
• Open minded

Threats

• Staying focus
• Positive atmospheres
• Overwork, not having enough time to study due to being occupied with family stress
• Financial breakdown
• Falling sick and not be able to work towards the set goals
• Relationship breakdown that could lead to depression
• Not having enough resources

Supporting Resources

List any physical, electronic or human resources that might help you achieve the agreed actions

Access to the Internet
Friends
Family
University library
Books
Journals

Stable employment

Reflection

What have you learnt from thinking about, writing about or carrying out this plan?

The entrepreneurial self-assessment exercise helps in discovery of self in relation to entrepreneurship. From the self-assessment, I could identify my strengths and weaknesses in relation to being an entrepreneur. From the strengths and weakness identified, I would be able to make the right measure to overcome the challenges and the assessment suggest I will be a successful entrepreneur if I do decide to pursue career as an entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship

The term entrepreneurship is known as the method of designing, lunching and running of new business’s that can start as a small or big business (Gartner, 1990). The term can be grouped into two aspects SME and IDE. SME are fundamentally small companies that has been in place for a long time and will remain small as they focus on address the needs in local market, they are not looking to go global while IDE are fundamentally big companies focus on developing, introducing new products and services as well as distinguishing and intervening on activities in the company in an innovative and exceptional ways globally (Krueger, 2002, p: 178-179).

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In today’s job markets either in the private, public or third sector graduates needs more than academic achievement. Jones‐Evans, Williams and Deacon, 2000 stated that as an undergraduate student, opportunities to learn and practice entrepreneurial skills is needed to enable us to add value, make use of and take advantage of opportunities, solve issues and complications, generate and communicate ideas, and make difference on an organizational and individual level (Jones‐Evans, Williams and Deacon, 2000).

To acquirer these skills, I position myself in placement within a voluntary sector. A 10-year Big Lottery-funded program that aims to support families to give children the best possible start in life through focusing on good health, social and emotional development and communication. This offer genuine entrepreneurial experiences that allows using own problem-solving skills, opportunities spotting, project managements, budgeting, coping with pressure, managing complexity and generating of new ideas and concepts to tackle gaps in the sector which are part of the essential materials of being a successful entrepreneurial in any sector.

Innovation theory suggests that the main function of an entrepreneur is to introduce innovations and the profit in the organization is reward given for performance. According to Schumpeter (1912) innovation refers to any new method that an entrepreneur undertakes to reduce the general cost of invention or increase the demand of products. Schumpeter believes an entrepreneur is an individual who is willing and able to renovate new ideas or invention into a successful innovation (SCHUMPETER, J.A. 1912).

A very good example of Schumpeter’s innovation theory is my placement organization as it is one of 22 projects being set up through the innovative program. Working to engage families with their children across the region through a broad range of projects that support language and communication, health and nutrition, social and emotional development all at free cost in other to contribute to closing the gap in families and children wellbeing within the communities.

They aim to leave a legacy for the region families, and share lessons with other areas. They apply new method of support to meeting peoples need through going into their homes and giving life changing service by providing comprehensive projects that focus on their health and wellbeing. This organization demonstrate the key element of an entrepreneur through planning and organizing, having Strategy, resources, abilities, skills & vision to innovating new approach to person centered approach to meeting community’s wellbeing needs (Leland, 2016)

I consider myself an entrepreneur as one of the skills require of an entrepreneurial is thinking of ways to improve/ innovate changes, in my placement organization have had to come up with new ideas on how to pass my message across and making sure have been understood while working with my client when communication barrier occur as my client suffer from speech delay, have thought of innovations that would make daily life easier for client through assessing services that will contribute to their health and wellbeing (Ardichvili, Cardozo and Ray, 2003).

https://www.bdc.ca/en/articles-tools/entrepreneur-toolkit/business-assessments/pages/self-assessment-test-your-entrepreneurial-potential.aspx?page=Results

Enterprise

Action plan

My overall aim is to try and put together a small project in my placement that I see will be of benefit to service users and the organization in a way of addressing their needs, improving their health and wellbeing and developing them intellectually.