Developing Academic and Professional Skills for Success

This report discusses the significance of developing academic and professional skills for success in the modern workplace. It covers the importance of team working, communication, problem-solving, and IT skills. The report also provides an action plan to enhance these skills and achieve personal and professional goals.

Preparing for Success: Self
Development and
Responsibility

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
The Global Context of Higher Education-..................................................................................1
Essential Academic and Professional Skills required in modern workplace-.............................1
Action Plan-................................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFRENCES...................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Development of professional and academic skills is very essential for an individual.
These skills are being developed from the academic career of a student. An individual should
implement these skills in their work so that they could get further success.
The above report includes overview on global context of the higher education. Report
further carried forward with description of necessary professional and academic skill which are
required in modern workplace. The report ends with structuring action plan for improvement of
skills for further development and growth.
The Global Context of Higher Education-
There is paradigm shift in governance of the higher education all over the world. It is
expected that student has a wide choice about where to the study it has been immensely taken for
granted. At the similar time Higher education institute are facing many challenges that are global
competition, substantial local, fluctuation in funding regime and along with that huge emphasis
on the graduate employability. It can be taken into consideration by student while selecting any
university for higher education further (Hemsley-Brown and Oplatka, 2016). The higher
education has been enhancing role to play in the economic competitiveness globally. It can be
stated that world is ever-changing, along with unpredictable challenge that are being placed on
the professional life, it could be considered by respondent that higher education must exercise
measure for problems and issues which could be immediately implemented into the working life
of individual. A fast changing world call for the system-wide responsiveness on part of the
higher education, overall higher education institution globally render knowledge and skills that
could be further helpful for an individual's overall growth and development. Government is
providing more funds for higher eduction at global level this enhances individual to get
education at global level. Global demographics also renders the individual to adopt education at
global level so that they could fulfil their life expectancy effectively. More and more
technological updation in education encourage an individual to move forward and get higher
education at global level.
Essential Academic and Professional Skills required in modern workplace-
Academic and professional skills are very helpful for an individual at modern workplace
to get overall success and growth. Some of these skills are explained below-
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Academic Skills:
Team working-
Team work enables individual to divide difficult task into the simple one, then work
together for completing it faster with high standard quality. By developing specialized skill, the
best person which best suited to particular task could do it better and quickly. This is helpful in
making work more efficient, which can lead to have better productivity, great profitability,
reduced cost and many other benefit (Thompson, Jaap and Lennard, 2017). If an individual have
team working skill then they could build a healthy relationship with their co-workers and reduce
conflicts among them. As in team work each and every team member are responsible for same
goal and objective. Individuals could learn from each other and could develop new skills in them
which is further helpful for individual's overall growth and development. Individual could
compete with each other, and prove their ability and chase for promotions or incentive among
organization (Markauskaite and Patton, 2019). If individual have good team work skill then they
could communicate with each other well, support & encourage and work cooperatively so that
they could achieve the goal of organization effectively. This is helpful in developing high level
of job satisfaction among their individual. Candidate who are directly connected with company
would be motivated to stay with company for long term. Working with team allow its team
member to take risk and could gain more success for the company. Motivated and encouraged
individual are always work for the betterment and growth of company. If an individual is
motivated and work positively they could gain huge success in their academic also and could
achieve their goal and objective effectively.
Communication Skills-
Good communication skill is very essential for an individual. When it comes to the
communication at academic, better communication is the integral part to the success.
Appropriate communication plays a major role in solving conflicts, relationship among clients,
team effectiveness, profitability (Rieken, Schar and Sheppard, 2016). If there is proper
communication at the university then there will be no conflicts among student and if it arises
among anyone than it could be effectively sought out with communication. Better
communication is also helpful for an individual to enhance their engagement and thus further
they could be effectively guided and instructed. Further this is helpful in developing positive
attitude of working for individual so that they could passionately work for the growth and
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success (McIntyre, 2016). Better relationship could also be build by individual if there is good
communication skill they could easily interact and maintain a good relationship which will be
fruitful for their success.. If individual have the best communication skills then they could easily
work in team and could render high quality service and products. Team work shows a positive
work culture of an organization and motivates employees for keep on earning and implementing
this in their work and thus their individual goal and objective could be effectively achieved.
Communication skill is also helpful in academic as if individual have overall understanding and
proper interaction with their tutors then they could understand things properly and could gain
their objective clearly.
Professional Skill:
Problem solving-
Everyone could get benefited in organization from having a good problem solving skill
along with encountering problem on daily basis. Solving problem and decision-making are more
interlinked with each other, implementing a decision is essential part of trouble solving process
as if an individual couldn't make an appropriate decision on any trouble then problem could not
be sought out by them effectively. If an individual is good at solving problem then they could
reduce conflicts among co-worker and further they can work with positive attitude for gaining
organizational objectives. The employees with positive attitude would always be motivated and
encouraged for working with company for long run. Problem may arise with anyone, at any
situation and for any specific reason if it must be not be solved by anyone then it could become a
major conflict in the company and then due to this the work of that individual will suffer as well
as its co-workers also (Göpferich and Neumann, 2016). An individual having good problem
solving can lead and manage the teams in organization and motivates them to work for
organization's overall success. Some way problem solving also involves overcoming barrier or
obstacle which prevent immediate achievement of the goals and objective. If an individual
successfully determine that and implement measure to remove particular obstacle further
company's goal could be effectively achieved by them. If there is no problem and issue in
company then there individual are motivated and always encouraged to work for overall success
of organization. This skill is helpful for an individual to solve issue and problem which is faced
by them in their academic and could effectively work for their overall success.
IT Skill-
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At present in the modern workplace IT Skill are very essential for the business growth
and development. Effective IT skill will be helpful for company to manage all their
programming, data and software so that it could be used effectively. The IT skill could also give
ability for offering high-tech solution, low costing which is helpful for organization to solve real
world problem for their employers all over world and could gain huge competitive advantage for
them. It also empowered an individual at workplace for ensuring delivery of high quality service
and product to their customer (6 REAL-LIFE BENEFITS OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, 2019). So many organizations rely on technology in one or another way. In
company from CEO, manager to employees it is very important to have technical skills so that
they could efficiently manage the departments well (Moore and Morton, 2017). If company had
well-talented employees with IT skills then they could easily compete with other rivals and
implement more technologies in their operations and functions so that they can render high
quality work or product and services to their customers. It is also very helpful for an individual
for its professional career as well as academic career, having these skills in self puts them extra
ordinary from other common employees. More technologized employee is valuable resource for
company as they have more IT skill which can be further helpful in company's overall work
processing and its growth. IT skill will also be useful in academic growth as there are many job
opportunities could be available for an individual as per the popularity of IT skills in the
employment.
Action Plan-
Objectives Task Success Criteria Time Frame
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To develop more IT
Skill
I will join IT course so
that new and advanced
skills could be learned
by me.
I will also take help
from internet and keep
on surfing so that
could enhance my
knowledge on IT.
More software and
data management
program will be
helpful in enhancing
my knowledge
(Coffelt, Grauman and
Smith, 2019).
I would measure it by
optimizing,
implementation of
these advanced and
new skills into my
working.
Taking feedback from
my leaders and
manager so that I
could know whether
I'm doing well with
this skill or not.
Improvement in the
data management and
program I could see
whether it has been
perfectly managed and
controlled or not.
3 months
To enhance
Communication
Skills
Interacting more with
co-workers and
manager so that
communication skill
could be enhanced.
More involvement in
group discussion will
be helpful for me to
develop more
communication skill in
me.
I will measure it by
optimizing that how
effectively I could
work in team.
Taking feedback from
my peers and manager
who well I could
communicate with
anyone.
My relationship with
co-workers and
2 months
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Using other
communication
application also for
further developing
more skills.
manager.
To better team
working skill
Working more as team
and motivating co-
workers also to do so.
Setting small goals and
objectives that are to
be determined and
achieved quickly and
effectively.
Role of each team
member would be
clear so that it is
specified which task is
performed by whom.
Maintaining healthy
bond among co-
workers.
It will be measured by
optimizing team's
performance that the
goal and objective of
team work is being
achieved or not.
Taking feedback from
top management and
leaders that team is
effectively lead by me
or not.
Taking feedback from
co-workers also that I
could lead the team
properly or not and if
there is any issue
stated by them and it
will be further
resolved by me
(Brundiers and Wiek,
2017).
1 month
For effectively
solving problem
It could be done by
solving problems and
conflicts among
employees & co-
Measuring that
problem is being
solved by me or not.
Rendering feedback
2 months
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workers.
Working more with
team and group so that
bond could be build
among each other and
further problems can
be solved.
Improving decision-
making skills and
trying to take more
appropriate decision to
any problem arise with
co-workers.
Taking guidance from
my peers and tutors
that how problem
could be solved
effectively (Beagon
and Bowe, 2019).
Communicating with
co-workers on daily
basis.
from tutors and peers
that problem is solved
effectively by me as
per their guidance or
not.
Optimizing whether
number of problems
being arrived among
co-worker is being
reduced or not. If it is
reduced then it can be
stated that I could
effectively solve
problem among them
and there is no
problem among them.
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CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that academic and professional skills are
essential for an individual personal and professional career. Performance of respective could be
enhanced if these skills are developed and improved time to time. Employee with this skill could
immensely helpful for a company to achieve its goal and objective. It can be further helpful for
the overall growth a success of company. If a worker have good communication skill then they
can maintain a healthy relation with their co-workers and could effectively work in team. Team
working skill is essential for an individual so that they can effectively render high quality work
on time or quickly. Problem solving skill is helpful for an employee to solve problem and
implement this in their working at workplace so that no problem a conflict could arise among co-
workers. All these skills are helpful for company's overall growth and development. Company
could gain huge competitive advantage among its rivals. If worker of company are skilled and
talented then they are productive resource for a company. If employees are motivated and
encouraged then they will further work for company's betterment and success ahead.
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REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Beagon, U. and Bowe, B., 2019. Preliminary Findings of a phenomenographic research study
into academic conceptions of the term professional skills.
Brundiers, K. and Wiek, A., 2017. Beyond interpersonal competence: Teaching and learning
professional skills in sustainability. Education Sciences. 7(1). p.39.
Coffelt, T.A., Grauman, D. and Smith, F.L., 2019. Employers’ Perspectives on Workplace
Communication Skills: The Meaning of Communication Skills. Business and
Professional Communication Quarterly. p.2329490619851119.
Göpferich, S. and Neumann, I. eds., 2016. Developing and Assessing Academic and Professional
Writing Skills. Peter Lang.
Hemsley-Brown, J. and Oplatka, I., 2016. Context and concepts of higher education consumer
choice. In Higher education consumer choice (pp. 14-43). Palgrave Pivot, London.
Markauskaite, L. and Patton, N., 2019. Learning for employability in the workplace: Developing
graduate work capabilities. In Education for Employability (Volume 2) (pp. 227-236).
Brill Sense.
McIntyre, G., 2016. Academic vs professional qualifications: feature-skills. HR Future, 1(Jan
2016). pp.24-25.
Moore, T. and Morton, J., 2017. The myth of job readiness? Written communication,
employability, and the ‘skills gap’in higher education. Studies in Higher Education.
42(3). pp.591-609.
Rieken, B., Schar, M. and Sheppard, S., 2016, October. Trait mindfulness in an engineering
classroom: An exploration of the relationship between mindfulness, academic skills, and
professional skills. In 2016 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE) (pp. 1-8).
IEEE.
Thompson, K., Jaap, A. and Lennard, F., 2017. Skills for Learning and Work-Promoting
Graduate Attributes Through Diverse Approaches to Assessment.
Online
6 REAL-LIFE BENEFITS OF CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 2019.
[Online]. Available through<https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/6-real-life-
benefits-of-continuing-professional-development>
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