MG408 Graduate Challenge: Skills Development and Action Plan Report

This report, prepared for the MG408 course, explores the significant challenges encountered by graduate students, focusing on skill development and practical application. The main body of the report details three key challenges: the Apprentice Challenge, emphasizing communication and teamwork; the Presentation Challenge, focusing on idea integration and effective communication; and the T-shirt Challenge, which covers brand design, marketing strategies, and cost analysis. For each challenge, the report provides insights into the skills acquired and the strategies employed. An action plan, structured using the SMART framework (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound), is presented to guide students in efficiently completing tasks and achieving their goals. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of developing these skills, such as communication, teamwork, and time management, for future professional success. References to relevant books and journals are also provided.

MG408 Graduate Challenge

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................2
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................2
Apprentice Challenge..................................................................................................................2
Presentation Challenge................................................................................................................3
T-shirt Challenge.........................................................................................................................3
Action plan for respective challenges above:..............................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
(Books and Journals)...................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
While completing one's graduation higher studies, students do face mainly three
significant challenges that are discussed in this report. The challenges mentioned in report guide
students in developing and enhancing their skills and knowledge. Facing these challenges during
the coursework in graduation help an individual to develop skills for future success and growth.
Furthermore, enhancement of these skills come along with an action plan mentioned in the
report.
MAIN BODY
The three challenges faced by students during their graduation are discussed as:
Apprentice Challenge
The main purpose behind this challenge is enhancement of communication and group
skills of an individual. The challenge is important as the students here have to make efforts in
working as a team together for completion of a single task. The main objective is proper
coordination with all teammates and every members efficient contribution in establishment of
group task. Various skills are acquired by students to complete this apprenticeship challenge:
Participation in this challenge, made my Communication skills grow formally and
informally within my team members letting them know about my insights and interaction.
Working in a collaborative way helped me do arrangements properly and present my information
to all others (Gordon, 2019).
The challenge built a participative environment leading me to increase my teamwork abilities by
working in a cohesive manner. Apprenticeship challenge also helped me integrate all my ideas
and inputs and use them at the right time enhancing my time management skills As every team
member has to present their part of the task specifically, I learnt to prioritize my regular activities
consistently that not only maximized my group productivity but also helped me maintain my
quality of good work.
Presentation Challenge
Integration of ideas about a particular subject and showcasing them in form of a
presentation is what this challenge denotes. At first data regarding particular subject is gathered
and then converted into a creative eye-catching presentation (Graham and Huff, 2018).

This challenge practice instils individual students with enthusiasm and effective interaction
helping me refine my communication skills . Questions asked during the presentation prepared
me to manage my non-verbal communication skills for better understanding to audience listening
to my presentation. I was also allowed to showcase my inventive ways of presenting to
associated authorities in graduation. I was able to avoid distractions after organizing my daily
schedule of activities and develop my time management skills. Presentations have made a way
for my self ability to showcase my talent in a working environment. Also, has provide me a
chance to prioritize my work and learn various technicalities of building a presentation. I was
asked to use my Presentation skills by using proper verbal communication and showcasing my
data into PPT. The task also guided me with my non-verbal communication skills such as actions
while presenting, gestures etc. making the format of presentation more creative.
T-shirt Challenge
This discusses designing of a brand logo and name, strategy of marketing, symbol & logo
strategy and incurring costs for selling the product. The challenge was utilized in my
communication skills required to draw my ideas related to the T-shirt in an innovative and well
structured fashion (Jones and Miller, 2020).
The challenge requires team work skills in which an every group member have to present
themselves with proper time management and accuracy in work. Accountability to every
member in the group makes it work out in a systematic manner as I have learnt to become
answerable to all others in my team. After the presentation , I also got the opportunity to give
my self intro showcasing my own talent and extracurricular skills that can be brought up into
practice in future. .(Wang,2019)The challenge consist of many other factors such as launch on
specific date and time, presentation of the design and detail of brand logo, descriptive analysis of
the work that should be done in an ethical manner without any multiplicity of words or design.
The task further directed me to know procedural steps drawn for deciding the brand name of
T-shirt.
Action plan for respective challenges above
An action plan is an individual piece of writing serialized within a specific time period
for a particular task completion in an effective manner (Kurtz, Draper and Silverman, 2017).
For completing these specific tasks, description of every resource utilized is showcased while
construction of action plan. The plan also describes ability of every individual student of

bifurcating larger objectives into small goals to complete task on time efficiently. Encompassing
all categories of group tasks, SMART action plan is adopted by students helping them to develop
project guidelines of successful completion of end objective. I too have constructed a SMART
action plan for constructing multiple skills and learning to establish the ultimate goal of
assessment discussed in below points:
Specific: Clear knowledge of result help chase a general objective by understanding
each task undertaken with a particular goal (Linand and et.al.,2019).
Specific goals take less time to be completed and help in fast communication skills with others
working in a team. Hereby my specific goal to do collaborative work was improving my
vocabulary skills making my ideas attractive and easy to understand & implement. I took part in
variety functions that requires coordination of efforts and activities. The coordination help all
members work cumulatively towards one goals with their team work capabilities. I have decided
to engage myself in assessments that needs presentation for improving my presentation skills.
By working on my time management skills, I was given a chance to improve my decision
making and authoritative responsibility.
Measurable: For effectively measuring the progress report of every individual while
completion of goal oriented objectives, every task chosen should be accurately measurable and
easily understood. Every work done has to be properly measured and recorded as per the norms
of working environment.(McKenzie and et.al., 2017). Many factors are to be taken into
consideration such as use of time and day schedules, that analysis the da-today performances and
help in improvement at every point of scaling of rating of every member of the group. Objective
of every task can be easily analysed through adoption of performance methods for improved
plans in future stages of completing the challenge.
Achievable: After measurement of project goals & objectives and analysing the
performances of every individual in the group, it becomes possible to attain the collective goal of
the assesment.(Nichols,Blockand Wilson, 2019).
Well constructed tasks after confirming weather that there are no such barriers to communication
halting my progress or stop me from refining my skills helped me achieve my goal in a much
effective manner. There are set standards according to which every measured goal has to be
achieved within given time limit for successful implementation of team plan. The timely

establishment of every objective reduced stress and helped me improve my communication and
presentation skills.
Relevant: It is important to find a proper connection among all the smart goals providing
a structure and meaningful output behind establishment of every objective.(Smith,Stapleton and
Canel 2018).This is done in such a way that I am prepared for future roles and responsibilities
given to be my superior leaders or authority.
Every source collected by me was to be checked and made useful by knowing their direct or
indirect relevance to main topic of enhancing vocabulary driving required output results. Also
relevance in every ask I did was to be realistic and logical in terms of answer-ability to my
seniors and group members.
Interrelatedness in similar task challenges helped individuals avoid duplicity in work and also
reduce red tap-ism of work. I was also asked to explain various aspects of brand designs and logo
through presentation in power point to help me find an actual result driving meaningful
conclusion from the project.
Time bound: The challenges faced by an individual should be under strict time limits so
that they can bring effective possible results on time. (Stock, 2020). The process of facing above
challenges has resulted in my encouragement towards facing them and simultaneously inspire
my group members finish their tasks on time. Furthermore, this exercise results in regular
progress of students as they feel the motivation to complete and submit their tasks on time . This
is an important indicator of how one should complete their tasks within limited time . Being time
specific in solving above challenges has helped me complete my presentation in a scheduled and
systematic manner. The target of every individual was distinguished and distributed so that time
is managed properly as per the goal of every challenge.

CONCLUSION
The report analysed and created above states that , how important it is for every student
during their graduation studies develop basic skills that consist of communication, team work,
coordination, time management etc. to practically face any challenge in corporate subject fields
in future. Growth and success of every individual is based on the developed action plan adopted
by them to solve any issue or face any challenges mentioned above in report. Various challenges
such as apprenticeship, t-shirt challenge and presentation skills required were a demonstration of
how student have top have particular skills for accomplishing common goals and objectives. The
challenges therefore, were found useful for students in acquiring important skills during
graduation. The challenge therefore helped me learn how to smartly design a logo of any
commodity brand. Also, presenting your own brand logo is important to make people aware
about your handwork that which is possible through a proper detailed presentation of subject
topic or aim behind designing the logo.

REFERENCES
(Books and Journals)
Gordon, M., 2019. IDENTITY, CULTURE, AND PEDAGOGICAL CHALLENGE: THE
PRESENTATION OF MATHEMATICS. Philosophy of Mathematics Education Journal,
(35).
Graham, D. R. and Huff, N. M., 2018. Total Force Mix the ongoing challenge (Conference
Presentation). Institute for Defense Analyses..
Jones, V. A. and Miller, R. A., 2020. Unmasking Power in the Discourse of Four-Year
Graduation Initiatives. Journal for the Study of Postsecondary and Tertiary Education, 5,
pp.145-166.
Kurtz, S., Draper, J. and Silverman, J., 2017. Teaching and learning communication skills in
medicine. CRC press.
Lin, P., and et.al., 2019. Graduation manufacturing system: synchronization with IoT-enabled
smart tickets. Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing, 30(8), pp.2885-2900.
McKenzie and et.al., 2017. Effectiveness of standardized patient simulations in teaching clinical
communication skills to dental students. Journal of Dental Education, 81(10), pp.1179-
1186.
Nichols, C., Block, M. E. and Wilson, W. J., 2019. Analysis of graduate programs in adapted
physical education in the United States. International Journal of Kinesiology in Higher
Education, 3(2), pp.47-57.
Smith, J., Stapleton, A. E. and Canel, C., 2018. Matching effort to challenge in interdisciplinary
graduate program development for data analytics-the use of business process modelling to
ameliorate planning bottlenecks. International Journal of Information and Operations
Management Education, 6(3-4), pp.253-271.
Stock, W. A., 2020. Does graduate economics education address the cognitive challenges of
effective teaching?. The Journal of Economic Education, pp.1-11.
Wang, R., 2019. Evolutionary game of knowledge sharing in master-apprentice pattern of
innovative organization. International Journal of Innovation Science.