BMSW4001: Academic and Employability Skills Report - Skills Analysis

This report delves into the crucial aspects of academic and employability skills, focusing on time management, online learning experiences, academic writing proficiency, and effective public speaking and presentation techniques. The report highlights the significance of these skills in both academic and professional settings. It explores the application of the Gibs reflective model for skill development, offering a structured approach to enhance time management and organizational abilities. The analysis includes the impact of online learning, challenges faced, and strategies for improvement. Furthermore, it examines the importance of clear and structured academic writing and emphasizes the need for strong public speaking and presentation skills, providing insights into how these skills can be developed and refined. The report underscores the importance of these skills for individual growth and future career opportunities.

Academic And Employability Skills

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY.......................................................................................................................3
Task -2...............................................................................................................................3
Time management / Organising study...........................................................................3
Online learning experience............................................................................................4
Academic writing............................................................................................................5
Public speaking and giving presentations......................................................................6
CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................7
REFRENCES.....................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Academic skills can be refer to as collection of study habits, strategies that are made to
improve learning skills and other tools that help students in learning new things and enhancing
knowledge (Bhagra and Sharma, 2018). Employability skills refer to as skills that are essential
at the workplace and that helps in getting good opportunities in future. Importance of
employability skill and academic skill will be discussed. Further, this report described
significance of time management, academic writing, online learning experience and public
speaking and giving presentation is described. It will discuss importance of improving skills for
an individual person.
MAIN BODY
Task -2
Gibs reflective model is one of best cyclical model which is having six stages i.e.,
description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action plan. This model helps an
individual person in achieving goals and objectives, identify strengths and weakness and
motivate them to make plans for improving skills that are required at the workplace.
Time management / Organising study
Time management is one of the important element or skills that are required at the
workplace and every employee should manage their work so that work can be completed on
time. It is essential that employees should work hard so that they can complete their work on
time. In the organization task is given to workers in groups so that they can develop their
communication skills and should interact with more people. Main purpose of employees is to
complete given task on time (Cachia, Lynam and Stock, 2018). A person should know how they
have to manage their time and give their best in achieving goals and objectives of company.
Every individual person must have time management skills so that productivity can be increased
and it will help in building good image in market. Time management is process of making plans
and continuous control of time. It helps in making good strategies so that organizational goals
can be achieved.
It is important for a student to develop time management skills and also have the ability to
organise study. These skills are required at the workplace and this helps in completing work on
time. If a person knows how to manage all the activities, it will help in enhancing knowledge or
skills. Time management is essential element which improves working of organization and boost
confidence of employees to work effectively. It is important for a student to organise study to
achieve targets and for better future growth (Cotronei-Baird, 2020).

Gibs model of reflection can be applied in managing time and organising study as this
model has 6 stages such as, description, feelings, evaluation, analysis, conclusion and action
plan. In time management this model will be helpful, firstly :
Description is given in which a person will share experience, then feeling and thoughts
about experience like what an individual person feel after improving time management skills.
Evaluation is done to identify that whether target has been achieved or not, what are
improvements that are required and what mistakes have been done this time. Issues or
challenges that were faced by an individual person while improving skills like, not able to
manage work in starting or find difficulty in managing all the activities. After evaluation is done,
analysis of situation take place in which a person identifies that what new things they have
learn and make plans or strategies for improvement in performance (Gill, 2018). Further,
conclusion is being taken out from the situation and try to improve the skills, they should make
time table in which they should divide time according to work. Next, make plans for actions that
are to be taken so that skills can be improve. It is important to manage time properly so that all
activities can be completed on time and at workplace all employees should know how to
manage their work.
Online learning experience
Nowadays due to covid -19 all the work is done through online. So, training is provided with
the help of online mode and they have to understand all the work. In an organization employees
are provided training or online development programs so that workers can work efficiently and
their performance can be improved. For students classes have been taken online with the help
of apps such as, zoom, google meet etc. Due to covid -19 all activities are taking place through
online mode and people can enhance their knowledge. There are many options available online
such as, many courses for students which will help in getting good opportunities in future. All
classes are being taken online, it is difficult to learn things with online mode but students have to
develop skills for learning things. For some students it may be difficult to learn or understand
things online but they have to learn because there is no other option available (Griffiths and
et.al., 2018).
There are many problems that are faced by students and their parents like, issue in
network, students are not able to concentrate or many other issues. But they have to adjust in
all situations and they should face challenges, this will help in developing skills and it will be
useful in future growth. Online learning experience is different and unique as students have to
take classes form home, this is easy way for them (Tentama and Abdillah, 2019). They can also
enrol in many online courses that are available to enhance their knowledge, improve or develop

skills that will them in future growth and they will get good job opportunities. Some courses are
free and some having charges but it will be helpful for students in future growth.
Gibs model of reflection can be helpful in online learning experience as it has six stages
by which a student can develop skills that are important. First step of gibs model is:
Description - Description in which students describe their experience about online
learning, whether they like this online learning or not (Ngulube, 2020). After that they will share
their views and thoughts about studying through online mode. It is new for them so they may
face problems but they should find solutions.
Evaluation - Then students must evaluate experience both good and bad points should be
covered. For instance, online learning ahs many problems such as, network issue or
disturbance, not able to concentrate. Positive points of online learning experience is students
are feeling comfortable in taking classes from home as it is easy and simple way. They can
learn many things which will enhance their knowledge, register in online courses that are related
to their field.
Analysis - Analysis should be done to identify that what are the problems that are face
while online learning (Sotiriadou and et.al., 2020).
Conclusion - Conclusion can be drawn after analysing situation and correct actions or
steps should be taken to improve the mistakes next time. Some improvements can be made so
that in future there will be no problem.
Action – After identifying that what are the mistakes done in making plans or strategies
correct actions should be taken to improve skills and new plans should be made by an individual
person so that goals can be achieved.
Academic writing
Academic writing is clear, structured and focussed and backed by evidence. Purpose of
academic writing is that readers can understand properly purpose of writing, aim and
objective should be clear. It is a formal style, should be written in easy and simple words
so that readers can easily understand what document want to convey. Sentences should
not be long and complex because it becomes difficult to understand. This skill is
developed during school or university where they learn how to write formal letters or
formal words that should be used in an organization (Nisha and Rajasekaran, 2018). This
helps in getting good opportunities and in an organization it is necessary because
employees have to interact with each other or seniors so they have to use formal way.
There are some ways to communicate with head or senior managers at the workplace.
Students should develop this skill during school or university as it plays a crucial role in

building good image in company. It will also help in improving other skills of an individual
person and this is beneficial for future growth.
Gibs model of reflection can be applied as it help in improving academic writing skill.
Description - describe the situation like, if a person is not having good academic writing
skill, plans or strategies should be made to improve skills (Scott and et.al., 2019). After
this next step is to share views or thoughts and experience that improving academic skills
is useful for students or not. Plans should be made according to goals that student want to
achieve.
Evaluation - After sharing the experience next step is to evaluate performance from
both positive as well as negative perspective. It is important to evaluate performance so
that mistakes can be find out and changes can be made in plans or strategies so that
goals and objectives can be achieved.
Analysis - After evaluation, analysis is to be done as it will help in making correct step
for future growth.
Conclusion - At last conclusion is made after analysing all the situation and according
to that actions are taken so that goals and targets can be achieved.
Action plan – After finding what are the mistakes in plans that were made, individual
person should take actions regarding that and make strategies that will be beneficial for
improving personal skills.
Public speaking and giving presentations
Public speaking and giving presentation is one of the important skill that is required at the
workplace as well as in universities. A student must have good communication skills
because if he or she is not able to interact properly then they will not get good job
opportunities in future and they have to face problems. This is one of essential skill that
comes under academic and employability skills because in an organization if employees
are not able to communicate properly then they will not able to communicate their idea or
not able to give presentation (Sarkar and et.al., 2020). Nowadays, in every company
presentations are given to clients so it is important that an employee should have this
quality. During covid -19 all the meetings were conducted through online mode and
everyone has to give presentations for sharing their views or ideas.
So, it is necessary that an individual person should develop presentation skills and
public speaking. It helps in boosting confidence or morale of employees and they are able
to focus on their work. In schools or colleges students have to give presentation on some
topic and marks are given according to their performance. Some students get nervous or

they did not know how to speak or present things in front of others (Osmani and et.al.,
2019). There are many ways to improve presentation skills such as, they should practice
regularly, take help from you tube, try to convert nervousness into confidence because
while giving presentation confidence is essential. They should attend other meeting and
learn some points that will be helpful in improving skills, use positive visualization, arrive
early as it creates good impact on others, adjust according to your surrounding.
If a person is not able to communicate properly then people who are connected to that
person will face problem in understanding what he or she want to convey. So, they should
improve public speaking and presentation skill as it will help in achieving goals and will get
good opportunities in future (Hart, 2019).
According to gibs model of reflection an individual person should firstly describe
situation like, want to improve skill, what are the ways available to improve skills.
Description - They should then identify what are weakness that need to be changed or
improved. Plans or strategies should be made to develop presentation skills or improve
public speaking.
Evaluation - Critically evaluate performance of an individual person, it includes positive
as well as negative points that are analysed.
Analysis - Finally, conclusion is drawn after determining all the steps that are taken to
improve skills or enhance knowledge (Di Gregorio and et.al., 2019).
Conclusion - After analysing situation conclusion is been made and according to that
actions are taken to better perform next time. Some changes are made in plans or
strategies are done so that in future mistake which is being done this time should not be
repeated again.
Action plans – After all the steps are completed last step is to take actions according to
situation and make better plans next time so that goals can be accomplished and targets
can be achieved.
CONCLUSION
From the report it can be concluded that, academic and employability skills are essential for
a student and help them in accomplishing goals and objectives. It had been described that
students get good job opportunities in future and help in boosting confidence. Academic skills
are learned or developed by students when they are in school or university whereas
employability skills refer to as qualities that are required at the workplace. In the report it had
been discussed that time management, online learning experience, academic writing and
presentation skill or public speaking is crucial for student and its importance in an organization.

REFRENCES
Books and Journals
Bhagra, A. and Sharma, D. K., 2018. Changing paradigm of employability skills in the global
business world: A review. IUP Journal of Soft Skills. 12(2). pp.7-24.
Cachia, M., Lynam, S. and Stock, R., 2018. Academic success: Is it just about the
grades?. Higher Education Pedagogies. 3(1). pp.434-439.
Cotronei-Baird, V. S., 2020. Academic hindrances in the integration of employability skills
development in teaching and assessment practice. Higher Education. 79(2). pp.203-
223.
Di Gregorio, A.,and et.al., 2019. Employability skills for future marketing
professionals. European management journal. 37(3). pp.251-258.
Gill, R., 2018. Building employability skills for higher education students: An Australian
example. Journal of Teaching and Learning for Graduate Employability. 9(1). pp.84-92.
Griffiths, D. A.,and et.al., 2018. Transitioning student identity and sense of place: future
possibilities for assessment and development of student employability skills. Studies in
Higher Education. 43(5). pp.891-913.
Hart, J., 2019. Interdisciplinary project-based learning as a means of developing employability
skills in undergraduate science degree programs. Journal of Teaching and Learning for
Graduate Employability. 10(2). pp.50-66.
Ngulube, B., 2020. Undergraduate Economics Curriculum And Employability Skills In South
Africa. Problems of Education in the 21st Century. 78(6). p.1000.
Nisha, S. M. and Rajasekaran, V., 2018. Employability skills: A review. IUP Journal of Soft
Skills. 12(1). pp.29-37.
Osmani, M.,and et.al., 2019. Graduates employability skills: A review of literature against market
demand. Journal of Education for Business. 94(7). pp.423-432.
Sarkar, M.,and et.al., 2020. Academics’ perspectives of the teaching and development of
generic employability skills in science curricula. Higher Education Research &
Development. 39(2). pp.346-361.
Scott, F. J.,and et.al., 2019. Empowering students by enhancing their employability
skills. Journal of Further and Higher Education. 43(5). pp.692-707.
Sotiriadou, P.,and et.al., 2020. The role of authentic assessment to preserve academic integrity
and promote skill development and employability. Studies in Higher Education. 45(11).
pp.2132-2148.
Tentama, F. and Abdillah, M. H., 2019. Student Employability Examined from Academic
Achievement and Self-Concept. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in
Education. 8(2). pp.243-248.