Graduate Challenges: Skills Analysis, Development, and Action Plan

This report provides an analysis of graduate challenges encountered during academic life, emphasizing the importance of skills development and strategic action planning. It covers challenges such as apprenticeship, presentation, and a T-shirt challenge, highlighting the application of communication, teamwork, time management, and business skills. The report discusses the significance of these skills in both personal and professional growth, using examples like TESCO to illustrate practical applications. An action plan is included, outlining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for skill enhancement. The conclusion underscores the importance of overcoming challenges and developing skills for long-term success, supported by references to relevant books and journals. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments.

The graduate
challenge

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................4
A brief analysis of Challenges.........................................................................................................4
Apprenticeship challenge in order to learn working environment..............................................4
Presentation challenge to develop effective presentation skills .................................................4
T shirt challenge..........................................................................................................................5
Skills................................................................................................................................................5
Communication skills..................................................................................................................5
Team work..................................................................................................................................5
Time management.......................................................................................................................6
Business skills.............................................................................................................................6
Action plan.......................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
In the campus life, it is essential for a person to focus on graduate challenges in order to
develop their strengths and capabilities (Doucette, 2018). Graduate challenges are related to
focus on various aspects of development in order to lead the competition. All major institutions
in academics, focus on development of graduate challenges in order to lead other students and
make them competitive. In the recent times, importance of graduate challenges is growing day by
to focus on various aspects of academic development. In this project, various challenges which
are faced by a person in academic life are explained in a well defined manner. The report also
includes application of skill and their development in order to focus on major aspects of overall
development. This report also covers example of UK's largest retail chain TESCO and T shirt
challenge to understand various dimensions of challenges along with an action plan.

MAIN BODY
A brief analysis of Challenges
It is essential for a student in academic life to focus on various aspects of different challenges
to increase their value. The achievement of several skills was also developed with the support of
challenges in order to lead the competition The following are major challenges:
Apprenticeship challenge in order to learn working environment
• Apprenticeship challenge: The apprenticeship is a major aspect of personal
development which includes learning through practical working. In order to develop an
effective and major career path, it is essential for a student to focus on apprenticeship. It
also provides major learning opportunities to a student, in order to develop systematic
growth at the marketplace (Drouin, Bohney, and Ziegler, 2017). Also the apprenticeship
also focus on teaching practical aspects of learning and development. This challenge was
helpful for me to learn various aspects of self development in order to gain knowledge
related to practical working of a workplace.
Presentation challenge to develop effective presentation skills
• Presentation challenge: The presentation challenge is a very typical challenges which
includes giving a precise and meaningful presentation in the class. This includes giving
presentation along with power point and its development. Presentation challenge is also a
major factor which is considered by me to learn confidence and personality development.
I had given presentation on leadership in the class which was supported and appreciated
by my teachers. While working for the TESCO company, I also realised the importance
of presentation which was helpful in increasing my strength and capabilities. In the
meetings of company, I learnt about various aspects of decision making with the help of
my presentation skills. This is the major responsibility of a person to include transfer of
learning skills in order to grow at the marketplace. TESCO company provides effective
training to employees for overcoming different presentation challenges.

T shirt challenge
• T-shirt challenge: This was one of the major challenges that I faced during my whole
academic and professional life. The challenge was related to development of a new T
shirt brand at marketplace. The branding will include a cost of 15$ with development of a
precise logo. The T shirt challenge includes application of marketing and other functions
to increase production and sales of the company. It was also necessary for us to develop a
marketing strategy which includes effective planning framework. T-shirt challenge is also
unique in a manner which includes application of a business plan. I decided to perform
marketing operations with the help of information and technology. This includes use of
social media and internet to advertise and perform publicity of a particular product or
service (Fernandez, Sturts, and Powell, 2019). I also focused on importance of key
functions of various bodies that are present in a business like human resource
management and marketing management. Main focus was on strategic management in
order to develop a good approach for planning frame work.
Skills
Communication skills
The communication skills are most important for a person in order to develop effective
communication between two or more persons. In the career related life, the communication skills
play a key role by developing coordination between different employees. I learned
communication skills which are effective in development of my personality. I also understand
that it is compulsory for a person to develop communication skills in order to develop a focused
approach in management of functions (Henderson, and Bozzi, 2019) All major communication
skills that are learned by me will help me in developing effective communication plan which is
useful for strategic evaluation. The communication skills are effective in making a person more
dynamic in personal and professional life.
Team work
Team management is a major aspect which increases coordination between team members to
accomplish a particular task. The team management is also important for a person with the help
of effective leadership approach in order to also develop decision making. The team work is also

essential for a person to focus on major aspects of development which are essential in increasing
overall strength and performance of a team. In the management of team it is ethical to use the
application of democratic leadership style. This will help my team to improve and also
effectively performing major functions of the company. The team work is also important in order
to gain competitive advantage in self development and working.
Time management
Time is the most crucial aspect, which needs to managed according to the routine work which
is essential for focused development. In order to manage time, it is essential for a person to
develop focused and discipline based approach. The time management is also a major aspect
which needs to be covered with the help of different routine management tasks (Kotowski,
Wright, and Ellins, 2018). Time management is also important for a person in order to gain
results related to a task in a short span of time. The application of time management is also
helpful in completion of a project and perform its management in a set period of time. All major
companies focus on growth and development with the help of various aspects of managing time.
Business skills
The business skills include various aspects of management related skills in order to
handle operations related to business management. Presence of business skills in an individual
helps him to manage day to day organisational tasks in a well defined manner. This also includes
application of various theories like human relationship theory in order to manage relationship
between employees (Kouzes, and Posner, 2018). The business skills are also important to focus
on several aspects of business development which are helpful in increasing value and reputation
of a business. Business skills are supported by learning practical aspects of business growth and
development. This is the major responsibility of a business is to focus on providing effective
training to different employees for their performance and productivity increase.

Action plan
Skills Specific Measurable Achievable relevant Timely
Knowledge
and learning
To learn these
skills with the
management
of other
knowledge
sources.
The assessment
of self is also
essential in
order to
evaluate
different
learning
opportunities.
To meet the
deadline in a
set period of
time for
achievement
of desired
results.
These skills
are beneficial
in
development
of knowledge
related to a
subject
matter.
07/08/22
Team
management
Development
of
coordination
between
different
members to
focus on
communicati
on skills as
well.
Developing a
team is majorly
achievable
with the
subordinate
employees.
The
development
of company is
also
important to
be measured
with the help
of goals and
objectives.
This will help
in
management
of large
number of
employees.
08/02/22
Problem
solving
This is the
major
responsibility
of a person to
learn these
skills in a
short period
of time.
The
development of
these skills will
be help a
person to focus
on problem
skills (Storey,
and Wang,
2017)..
This is the
major
responsibility
of a company
to focus on
problem
solving skills
development
in employees.
This will
cover
improvement
in problem
and finding
optimum
solutions for
different
activities.
04/03/22
Decision
making
To focus on
all aspects of
decision
making
Learning these
skills with
support of
professors and
seniors
Development
of decision
making with
each focus on
growth and
development
through
leadership
approaches.
This will
increase the
decision
making
through
application of
democratic
leadership
approach.
04/07/22
Software
knowledge
To develop
statistical
data related to
software
calculation.
The
measurable
skills will be
helpful in
increasing
Good training
and regular
practice.
Relevant in
every field.
07/26/22

strength.

CONCLUSION
From the above stated report it can be concluded that it is essential in academic life to
cover various graduate challenges in order to expand. It is also crucial in academic life for the
student to overcome all the challenges and obstacles in order to establish a good approach. This
project concludes the role played by academic discipline in a life of student. This report
concludes the role played by skills development in the overall development of personality for
long term success of the student.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Doucette, W.C., 2018. Not a Challenge but an Opportunity: Harnessing the ACRL
Framework to Situate Graduate Students as Active Members of the Academic
Community. Transforming Libraries to Serve Graduate Students.
Drouin, R.A., Bohney, B., and Ziegler, L., 2017. Overcoming Challenges at the Start of
Graduate Study.
Fernandez, M., Sturts, J.,and Powell, G.M., 2019. Surviving and thriving in graduate
school. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 34(1), pp.3-15.
Henderson, R. and Bozzi, M., 2019. The Ph. D. Student Sponsorship Initiative and Graduate
Student Challenge. IEEE Microwave Magazine, 20(4), pp.59-60.
Kotowski, A.J., Wright, V., and Ellins K, 2018, December. Engaging high school students
from underrepresented minorities in the geosciences through graduate student-led,
challenge-based learning. In AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts (Vol. 2018, pp. ED12A-04).
Kouzes, J.M. and Posner, B.Z., 2018. The student leadership challenge: Five practices for
becoming an exemplary leader. John Wiley & Sons.
Storey, V.A. and Wang, V.C., 2017. Critical friends protocol: Andragogy and learning in a
graduate classroom. Adult Learning, 28(3), pp.107-114.