Sustainability in Career Development: Opportunities & Challenges

This essay delves into the concept of sustainability within the context of career development, with a specific focus on the field of occupational therapy. It begins by examining the author's personal strengths, interests (identified through the RAISEC model), and values, highlighting their inclination towards social interaction, helping others, and seeking job security. The essay then explores the author's interest in becoming an occupational therapist, aligning this career path with their identified strengths and values. Challenges within the profession, such as client factors and labor market shortages (as indicated by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists), are discussed, alongside opportunities like the availability of new jobs in the UK. The essay concludes by outlining the steps required to pursue this career, including educational qualifications (PGDip or MSc in Occupational Therapy), demonstrating commitment, and gaining relevant experience through part-time work as a care assistant. The author emphasizes the importance of these steps in securing their dream job and contributing to the well-being of others.

Sustainability in Career Development

TABLE OF CONTENTS
STEP 1: KNOWING WHY.............................................................................................................3
My strength..................................................................................................................................3
My Interest...................................................................................................................................3
My values.....................................................................................................................................3
STEP 2: KNOWING WHAT..........................................................................................................3
STEP 3: KNOWING HOW.............................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

STEP 1: KNOWING WHY
My strength
My strength is to work with the people so that I can learn from them and this will assist
me in my future. Further, I prefer to work in a team because it provide me an opportunity to
work with others. My another strength is interpersonal skill that helps to generate a better
relation with colleagues.
My Interest
Social and enterprising is my interest as I identified the same by using RAISEC model.
My values
Through the model, I reflected different values which includes high level of interaction
with others that helps to improve the interaction so that I can learn from them. Also, I always
help others whenever they need. Job security is my another value and seeing tangible results
from the work completed also help me to add values in the work.
STEP 2: KNOWING WHAT
I am interested to become an Occupational therapist in which I mainly treated the ill and
injured people. Also, I choose this particular area because my strength and values are mainly
related to this like I like to help others and try to interact with other which is possible in this
field. Thus, it can be assist to maintain the skills and needed for the daily living and working.
Moreover, mu dominant occupational interest type is social in which I help professions so that
we will work for the society and treat people as well.
There are many challenge that also affect my profession such that client factors which
includes values, beliefs. Moreover, if an individual do not match the skills required for this
profession are not preferred to this industry and as a result labor market is decreases. As per the
Royal College of Occupational Therapists Launches Careers Diversity Campaign, it has been
analysed that there are over 41000 OT in UK but still there is a high shortage in this profession.
On the other side, RCOT also encourage people from different background to qualify as a OT in
order to provide better services to their patients like, social media campaign #ChooseOT (Royal

college of occupational therapists launches careers diversity campaign, 2021). Another
challenge identified in this profession is such that labour moving oversees because most of the
professionals are not find any candidate fit for their profession and as a result, they reject them.
As a result, they migrated from other area and this in turn causes a challenge for the OT.
The opportunity gained by working in this profession is such that there are around 3300
new jobs available in UK for OT and that is why, it is considered as a better chance for me to
grab the opportunity in order to provide better services to the people. Along with this, as per my
key strength, I like to work with people and that is why, it will be beneficial for me to interact
with range of people so that I understand about their nature of work and groom myself as well.
Therefore, by evaluating both challenges and opportunities, it is essential for me to ascertain
whether the chosen profession provide a better outcome in near future.
STEP 3: KNOWING HOW
In order to get into this career, I must have to qualify for a minimum criteria and for that
three different steps need to be considered which are as mentioned below:
Step 1:
In order to be OT, I should graduate and for that I have to complete my PGDip or MSc in
Occupational Therapy. In this, there is a need to achieve minimum of 2:2 for a well-reputed
institution i.e. LSBU that provide strong education. On the other side, for others, can completed
their degree from Brunel.
Step 2:
I should reflect my commitment towards this profession which can be possible by taking
a feedback from the team so that they can provide proper review and make decision. Along with
this, I should reflect through my transferable skills and experience evidence that demonstrated
my commitment and then I got selected.
Step 3:
Now a days, without experience universities do not respond and that is why, to manage
the current demand of market, I will do part-time work as a care assistant that further reflect my

work and also show my stability as well as commitment towards a work. This will also help me
to determine my position and at the time of interview, I can easily answer the questions so that I
will be easily selected for my dream jobs and start offering services to the needy people.

REFERENCES
Online
Royal college of occupational therapists launches careers diversity campaign. 2021. [Online].
Available through:
<https://collegeofparamedics.co.uk/COP/News/royal_college_of_occupational_therapists_la
unches_careers_diversity_campaign.aspx>.