LSST MG408: Reflective Report on Graduate Challenges Module

This reflective report provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges faced by graduates, focusing on the development of essential skills and competencies. The report begins with an introduction outlining the purpose of the project, which is to reflect on various graduate challenges and prepare for future employability. The main body of the report analyzes challenges such as the apprenticeship challenge, presentation challenge, and t-shirt challenge, and how these experiences contributed to the development of skills. The report also discusses the importance of teamwork, time management, and meeting and presentation skills. An action plan is presented to outline specific goals for skill development. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and emphasizes the significance of the challenges and acquired skills for personal and professional growth. The report references several books and journals to support its analysis.

Reflective report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................3
Analysis of challenges.................................................................................................................3
Skills development:.....................................................................................................................4
Business skills and competencies................................................................................................6
Action plan:.................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
References........................................................................................................................................9
Books and journals:.....................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this project is to provide a reflective piece on various graduate challenges that is
necessary to improve Inner skill and prepare for future employability skill. The apprentice
representation and t-shirt challenge have thought a lot about an organizational Outlook which is
based on UK Asda supermarket (Aptoula, and Bayyurt, 2020). Also the report includes various
skills that are learnt through the challenges and an action plan for future improvement. An
individual learn a lot through the graduation period which lead them to learn different aspects in
order to perform business requirement effectively.
MAIN BODY
Analysis of challenges
The challenges make an individual prepare for their goals and objectives. To overcome a
challenge , and individual require inner motivation and enthusiasm to learn new aspects through
which they could achieve what they want. So that, Institute of LSST which has situated in
England. The institute provides various opportunities regarding future planning and strategies to
overcome with graduate challenges. These are defined below:
Apprenticeship challenge:
Apprenticeship refers about being indulge into practical business operations and worked as an
apprentice trainer into the company. Through this challenging program the individual will
analyse the whole working environment and their attitude towards other. I came to the challenge
by analysing several set of skills which is required while working within the group of
individuals. Maintaining relations, teamwork and communication are the main hurdles to
overcome with this challenge(Costello-Judge, and Foster, 2017). It requires knowing about
strength weakness opportunity and threat of the company so that the leaders will take decisions
according to the situation. I learned to be patient and positive with my team members so to
achieve target objectives. It is a required program which enables hard working motivation and
time management skills. I learned all to prepare information and provide suitable practices for
organisation.

Presentation challenge:
Whether it is about higher studies or job opportunities, presentations have universal applicability
for all the fields. These skills required presenting the ideas and thoughts into an attractive and
innovative way rather than just being only e speak and present a lecture. These lectures are said
to be boring and does not Understandable for everyone due to lack of physical explanation. So
that presentation is an effective way to reduce the boredom and gain the attention of viewers
towards your ideas and thoughts (Hurst, Azevedo, and Hawranik, 2018). During the challenge, I
present the presentation on the swot analysis of Asda through which the audience has gain much
understanding about the concept. Also the organisation is in need to have managers who could
conduct effective meetings and presentations so that it would give an opportunity for a job role.
This analysis demonstrated that being innovative , attractive and presentable is the way towards
success and to learn new things. During the group presentation, effective coordination and time
management is required which I managed true teamwork and time management skills. So that
the presentation will reached to its goals and fulfil the main purpose which is audience
interaction.
T-shirt challenge:
The analysis shows that it is the most complex challenge of all. It consists the areas of branding
financing and management for a T-shirt company. The challenge is all about creating a logo
which is best suitable for company profile and under the budget of $20. Therefore, Island about
the financing concept and significance of branding in order to exposure a product into market.
Also, this challenge required patience and great coordination among group members through
which and innovative idea will be come out (López-Moreno, 2017). I overcome this challenge by
presenting unique design through enabling research, marketing tools, company budget and
channels of distribution.
Skills development:
Teamwork:
Teamwork is all about working with number of people by acknowledging their ideas ,
perception, values and different backgrounds. Working into team has various benefits as well as

disadvantages also. It depends on the leaders and the group members how they take the guidance
and prepare themselves for Organisational success. Teamwork declines the workload and make
the task easy and feasible. But it under take many conflicts and politic regarding different
individual backgrounds, attitude and behaviour toward each other (Matthews,. and Daniels,
2019). An effective team is the one who to maintain the hierarchy and work along with the
members by appreciating their effort and correct the mistake. Therefore it is necessary to build
right time with right people which is define through Tuckman theory. It provides 5 steps of
building a effective team:
Forming: As per step towards forming a team the most effective individuals are identified. The
individuals judged by their abilities capability comma talent and skills which would fulfill the
teams objective. Therefore it is the initial start that must be good future aspect which does not
affect others also. My experience of forming a team is quite interesting as I get to know about
different individuals and their personalities and I found some of them effective for completing
the objective.
Storming stage: The next stage says about managing team relations and promotes coordination
in order to perform the activities as per the objectives (Sottie, Mfoafo-M’Carthy, and Moasun,
2018). In order to eliminate personality differences and make a coordinated behavior, I used
strategies to bring unity and affection in team by making understand them about team mission,
targets and their support
Norming stage: by coming to this stage coma many conflicts and disputes come to an end and
promotes coordination, unity and affection among the team member. It is the less Complex stage
in which I do not found any issues as my team members behave in a proper coordinated manner
and the teamwork carried out smoothly. The team is acknowledging about whom to approach so
that a clear line of communication has made.
Performing: During this stage, the team members get experience and understand about their
roles and responsibilities effectively. The leaders could relax as the team becomes capable of
decision-making and resolving the conflicts among their surroundings. The objective and
mission worked smoothly in my experience due to managing the team with appropriate guidance
and motivation. So that, teamwork has made are presentations more attractive and appreciable.

Business skills and competencies
Time management: Time is the key for success into every field. It makes the individual
punctual and out of procrastination. Managing time will lead to reduce the stress and complete
the work on deadlines. I learn this skill due to my graduation period as it made me more
particular about completing tasks within the time so that no work with the left Idol. It help me for
my future development as organization needs punctual employees.
Meeting skills: Meeting with people are become a regular process into everyone life. We meet
many individual at education or professional level which requires good communication skills
personality and body posture to create an attractive impact (Tracey, and Hutchinson, 2018) . I
have gone through many meeting during my graduation period as on zoom, video conferencing
to attend the classes as well as give online interview which has came out my fear of
communication in front of other people.
Presentation skills: presentation skills are mostly the best developed in me as I have assign a lot
of project presentation into the University which has meet me more clear about the presentation
concept and how to make it most feasible. So that these skills would help me in my professional
career also so that I would inspire others true effective presentation of Ideas.
Action plan:
skills Specific Measurable Achievable relevant timely
Time
management
Winding up
tasks and work
on daily basis
to reduce work
pressure.
Results and
performance
will show
through
feedbacks and
punctuality.
Competition of
work on daily
basis and by
setting
timetables,
goals and
manage daily
routine..
Relevant to
reduce stress,
anxiety and
manage
personal life
also.
10 August
2021
Team work Assigning
duties,
authorities and
Measure
through team
performance
Communicating
and building
relations with
It is required to
make the team
responsible
30 July 2021

decision
making into
team.
Acknowledging
individuals
interest.
and
coordination
maintained.
team member
will result in
effective team.
and be a great
leader and
inspiration.
Communicatio
n skills
Transfer of
thoughts and
ideas,
information,
task and duties.
It reduces
mistakes and
clear confusion
which promote
success.
It measures
through team
feedback,
meetings and
results in
projects (Xue,
2021).
Focus on
vocabulary,
clear language
translation and
being part of
debates,
seminars.
It is essential
for every field
and maintains
workplace
relations.
1 August June
2021
Presentation
skills
Be presentable
in front of
audience and
grab attention.
Appreciation
and
implication of
ideas.
Being indulge
in projects,
research and
power points.
It is required
for
professional
growth as a
basic skill.
15 July 2021
Use
spreadsheets
and excel.
Technical
knowledge is
required in
digital world.
Presenting
graphs, data
into statistical
form.
Practice and
training.
Required for
every purpose
and
everywhere.
10 June 2021
CONCLUSION
The report has concluded that graduate challenges and the intended skills are most appropriate
for individual development after leaving the university. These challenges help to grow

personality and confidence into much aspect. This report has identified the significance of
teamwork by showing development stages of forming, storming, norming and performing. Also,
Time management for presentation and meeting skills are also necessary into every field which
shows powerful communication and inspirational personality of an individual. Also an action
plan carried out many set of skills and smart goals with needs to be achieve into the next 3 years.

References
Books and journals:
Aptoula, N.Y. and Bayyurt, Y., 2020. Features of Electronic Feedback on Graduate Level
Writing. In English for Specific Purposes Instruction and Research (pp. 145-158).
Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.
Costello-Judge, C. and Foster, M., 2017. Post graduate student early years teachers’ perceptions
of HE teaching and learning strategies which may be effective in terms of developing
best professional practice in early years contexts.
Hurst, D., Azevedo, A. and Hawranik, P., 2018. Building adaptive capacity in online graduate
management education. In On the line (pp. 265-280). Springer, Cham.
López-Moreno, C., 2017. The Year abroad: Understanding the employability skills of the global
graduate. Innovative language teaching and learning at university: enhancing
employability, p.21.
Matthews, J.J.R. and Daniels, D.E., 2019. The Gendered Experiences of Male Students in a
Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program: A Multi-Case Study. Teaching and
Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders, 3(2), p.2.
Sottie, C.A., Mfoafo-M’Carthy, M. and Moasun, F., 2018. Graduate social work students’
perceptions and attitude toward mental illness: Implications for practice in developing
countries. Social Work in Mental Health, 16(5), pp.540-555.
Tracey, M.W. and Hutchinson, A., 2018. Uncertainty, agency and motivation in graduate design
students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 29, pp.196-202.
Xue, L.Y., 2021. Preparing Chinese International Students for Graduate Studies in a US
University Through a Pathway Program: A Case Study (Doctoral dissertation,
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona).