Academic and Employability Skills Summary 2022

This is a rework assignment . Please see the previous assignment I have done with the instructor's comments and assignment brief. Can you please paraphrase all of these and add the missing point so that I can pass.

Running head: ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
ACADEMIC AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1Academic and Employablity Skills
Table of Contents
1.1 Introduction...........................................................................................................................2
1.2 SWOT analysis.....................................................................................................................2
1.3 Time management.....................................................................................................................4
1.4 Presentation................................................................................................................................5
1.5 Importance of being organized..................................................................................................7
1.6 Conclusion.................................................................................................................................8
References:......................................................................................................................................9

2Academic and Employablity Skills
1.1 Introduction
Academic and employability skills in a student can help them achieve career goals easily.
In this report a reflective paper is written which is based upon the challenges I faced during the
journey and how it helped me gain strength over the academic and employability skills. Here the
skills referred in the module, transferable and employment skills along with it the presentation
and writing is also maintained as per tutorial. There were some of the gaps in the studying and
document writing. Those gaps are identified and then provide suggestions accordingly. The
suggestions however involve the strategies which will help in improving myself for future. Some
of the competency holes will also be analyzed to understand how it can contribute in filling up
the gaps for me.
It is generally believed that higher education involve a lot of time but the end result is
always pleasant. However, the journey was not simple for me as I was very much confused,
scared and excited as well. I met a lot of lecturers, some new people where I can learn about how
to tackle study related issues, time management, team work and most importantly help others
with unique thoughts to grow as a team. The reason behind all this struggle is because I took the
duty of own learning. I have learnt a lot from many new subjects and improved my academic and
employability skills. However, without the support from my lecturers and personnel of UWTSD
(University of Wales Trinity Saint David) this journey wouldn’t have been so productive, they
have helped a lot at every stage of my challenges regarding academic issues and grow as
independent individual.

3Academic and Employablity Skills
1.2 SWOT analysis
As per Cottrell during 2003 and 2010, SWOT analysis is one type of rapid tool which can
help people to understand the situation of any stock. This will easily analyze the stage of
readiness of any individual for any new task. Evaluating any future challenge is easily possible
with this tool which provides a chance of improving strategies accordingly to avoid those
challenges. SWOT analysis stand for Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. As per
famous researchers, positive study can help individuals to be aware of the available strengths and
weaknesses and improve themselves accordingly.
Here, I will begin with the first task which helped me to analyze my stage of readiness for
a new task and understand it through SWOT analysis. This tool will help to understand what the
need in self-development is. Strength will tell what you are good at and weaknesses will tell
what needs to be improved. Threats will tell what can damage you and the opportunities will tell
what can be utilized. So below is my SWOT analysis from where I analyzed that there are some
weaknesses in me which needs to improve at the earliest.
Figure: SWOT analysis

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Source: Cottrell 2010
I have a strength of maintain proper time management and according to me this will help
me in committing various actions. I have learned that time management will help in improving
the academic and employability skills. For the management, daily, weekly and monthly planner
is the best tool to be used. I suggest to everyone that this tool should be used on a regular basis
for better planning, prioritizing, delegating and controlling the environment around you. This
will help in understanding yourself and the environment and change habits and attitude
accordingly.
1.3 Time management
The most important thing I learned is the time administration. Planning and then maintain
the schedule throughout the day so that there will be plenty of time for other required works.
When any work involves others then time management must be done keeping I mind about
others expectations. Different departments, managers and customers and etc. should be involved
in the plan. Time management is generally said to be conditioning yourself with the environment
and then allowing your environment to improve you. There can be pressure sometimes, but it is
important that you hold your intention and deliver your work in time which will help in
motivating you work efficiently. I have come across a very useful example of Eisenhower’s
method which taught me important lessons (Mindtools.com 2020). During 1954 when former
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower was delivering a speech he said that he faced two types of
problems one is pressure and the other is importance (Adair and Allen 1999). According to him
the pressing is not important and the important is not urgent. This Eisenhower Principle is very
helpful in reducing the workload and understand the priorities.

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He understood that those who have time management capability has the advantage of
being efficient. According to him people must spend more time over the things which matters
most and not to which is urgent. Hence, for applying this principle of minimizing the stress from
too many deadlines at a time, I started to learn distinction between works. One important thing
here should be kept in mind that the goal can be achieved only when works are divided not
professional and personal (Businessballs.com 2020). Urgent works grabs instantaneous attention
and it normally involves another person’s goal. This kind of works are generally more
concentrated as they demand more attention, their consequence of not dealing urgently can be
immediate. I became aware of what is urgent and what is necessary. With proper time
management I was able to find some time for necessary works which can help me in success.
This is how we all can focus into our career more efficiently.
1.4 Presentation
While improving my academic and employability skill, I learned about presentational
skill as well. When I became a part of five group members for a group presentation, I was very
stressed at that moment. We had to present one assignment topic in front of the class, our
commission and our lecturer. I never did a presentation in front t of so many audiences, as
naturally I was very scared and I was not sure how to even start. When we were preparing we
started to discuss about the topic and chose our team leader. We asked each other questions
related to the topic and started doing in-depth research. My topic here was ‘The five stages of
team development by Bruce Tuckman’. Before the presentation part started, I was very much
tensed but I kept myself relaxed and confident. Our audience was very friendly which motivated
me initially and I did my presentation quite well. We watched other presentation as well. That

6Academic and Employablity Skills
was a very nice experience for me because I got to know about my gaps, I worked on it and
improved myself.
As per Morgan (2016), in business it is important to be able to give good presentation as
communication is the key to successful employment life. People who can give good presentation
they are considered to have imperative skills and presentation is an important part of commercial
enterprise. Presentation improves the communication skill and potential to talk professionally
(Morgan 2016). This improves self-assurance and leads to being innovative. Giving presentation
of strangers can be very scary as in mind individual can be thinking who will be searching for
them, what the audience is thinking, what question they will ask, what if they are is bad mood
and etc.
Morgan stated that there is an overlap between the skills which is required for any
research and skills which is required for workplace. Here the Universities plays an important role
of differentiating between these and produce employable graduates. This has helped me a lot in
improving my employability skills and become more confident about any job position to tackle
the job pressure and be successful in my work-life. In commercial enterprise environment every
individual need to have proper employability skill and become successful in their employable
life (Google.com 2020). There are basically skills which almost every employer wants in their
employees and the skills are following:
 Commercial awareness
 Teamwork skills
 Communication skills
 Problem solving ability
 Negotiation and persuasion skills

7Academic and Employablity Skills
 Leadership ability
 The ability to work under pressure
 Perseverance and motivation
 Confidence
 Organizational skills
1.5 Importance of being organized
It is important for every one of us to be organized in life so that we become more
employable. Every organized person will be aware of what and when they want do anything. The
key thing which they do is to make list, record them in their diary and follow up, which helps
them to control themselves in their work-life as well as in their personal life. Being organized
have helped me to be on time, balance my work and find some time for myself because it is
important to spend some time with yourself. Organizations declare someone employable when
they find that the person plans their time effectively, meets their deadline on-time and handles
workload smartly.
I utilized my skills when I was working as a receptionist. I used to check for patients
appointment and used to call them for their confirmation. I was working in a private hospital and
there it was important to manage time properly as no patient wanted to wait for long. I started to
boost my organizational skills by preserving a calendar and write all the appointments in it, I
made lists of what I need to complete that day. I feel I still have a gap in my organizational skill
and I am still trying to develop it by keeping a calendar and write appointments on it (Youth
Employment UK 2020).

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It is ok to consider yourself to be able to organize things properly and manage your time
effectively. However, the employers would want you to prove it because your action speaks a lot
more than what you speak. So it is important that when you go for an interview, you dress well
and bring all the documents which you have been asked to bring with you. By showing them you
can let your employer think that you are serious about this job and can handle yourself and the
work pressure very much efficiently and professionally. It is important to impress your employer
as this impression can let you achieve your goal in career and also show that your efficiency is
more than others.
1.6 Conclusion
A summary of this reflective paper which tells my journey throughout my academic and
employability skills can be stated that I was able to develop myself in both knowledge and
character within this module. However, I too faced a lot of struggles during my journey and was
scared of whether I could be able to complete my work or not, I worked hard and achieved some
useful experience from it. When I put together all my struggles, I can say that they have
contributed me in building this organized attitude and improve my employability skill in
professional as well as in personal life. The most important task which taught me a lot of lesson
was definitely the presentation. There I used a lot of skills to complete the task. That task
involved proper communication, team work and most importantly be organized. I felt very much
proud of myself when I completed my presentation with so much confidence. Although I still do
feel that I have a lot of work to do on my skills and I believe that with further knowledge from
different life experiences I can learn to perfect my skills and become confident over myself. I
was however very much blessed to be able to understand what my gaps are and close almost of

9Academic and Employablity Skills
the gaps and improve my necessary skills in life and I suggest others also to be open for learning
from differ life experiences.

10Academic and Employablity Skills
References:
Adair, J.E. and Allen, M., 1999. Time management and personal development. Thorogood
publishing.
Businessballs.com, 2020. Time Management Techniques, Tips, Tools And Templates –
Businessballs.Com. [online] Businessballs.com. Available at:
<https://www.businessballs.com/self-management/time-management-techniques-free-tools-and-
templates/> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
Cottrell, S., 2010. Skills for success: The personal development planning handbook. Palgrave
Macmillan.
Google.com, 2020. Www.Target.Co.Uk (Nov 2012) - Google Search. [online] Google.com.
Available at: <https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=www.target.co.uk+
%28Nov+2012%29> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
Mindtools.com, 2020. Eisenhower's Urgent/Important Principle: Using Time Effectively, Not
Just Efficiently. [online] Mindtools.com. Available at:
<https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_91.htm> [Accessed 21 April 2020].
Morgan, P., 2016. The Business Student's Guide to Study and Employability. Sage.
Youth Employment UK, 2020. Organisation Skills - An Overview - Youth Employment UK.
[online] Youth Employment UK. Available at: <https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/young-
prof-article/organisation-skills-overview/> [Accessed 21 April 2020].