Reflective Report: University Challenges, Skills, and Action Plan

This reflective report details a student's experiences within a university setting, focusing on challenges faced, skills acquired, and a comprehensive action plan for future development. The report outlines participation in various university challenges, including an apprentice challenge, a presentation challenge, and a T-shirt design challenge, which facilitated the development of communication, teamwork, time management, and business skills. The student analyzes these experiences, reflecting on the skills gained and the competencies developed. Furthermore, the report presents a SMART action plan spanning three years, targeting specific improvements in communication, teamwork, time management, and business acumen. The conclusion summarizes the importance of reflection in achieving goals and sharing experiences.

Reflective Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Scenario........................................................................................................................................1
The Challenges.............................................................................................................................1
The skills......................................................................................................................................2
Action plan...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Reflection refers to the providing of own observations so that the right conclusions can be
derived. It is very useful for other people (Avram, Pérez and Yamazaki, 2018). It means
providing a detail on one's own experience to someone else which can be highly helpful for
them. This allows a person to find out the significant areas where the relevant improvement can
be made in the right manner. In this assignment, there will be focus on the reflection on the
challenges, the skills and the action plan which is required to be framed for the purpose of
facilitating the desired improvement in these skills.
MAIN BODY
Scenario
I am studying in the university. As a student, I have aimed to take part in different types
of challenges in the university. These challenges will help in development of the various types of
skills. Also I will frame an action plan so that I can improve significantly in these skills.
The Challenges
In the University, we were required by our teachers to take part in the significant
challenges. These challenges are explained as follows-
Apprentice Challenge- In this challenge, the university required us to act do
apprenticeship at a particular business of our choice (Forster and et.al., 2019). This was required
because in this way we were able to ensure that we develop our various skills and gain
significant experience which can be highly useful for the future. Therefore, I chose to work at a
local electronics shop to fulfil apprentice challenge. By working in the electronics shop, I was
able to ensure that I gain significant experience of running and managing the business and
develop my marketing skills in an effective manner. Therefore, in this manner I was able to
achieve personal goals and objectives easily. While completing this challenge, I was able to learn
about the operations of a business and the way they actually work. This can be quite helpful for
me in the future so that I am able to use the experience which I have gained in the right manner.
Thus, I was able to ensure that I completed this challenge effectively and efficiently.
Presentation Challenge- This challenge focused on focusing on the marketing aspect of
a product of a particular business (Gao and et.al., 2016). The university required us to select a
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particular product of a company and focus on the way its marketing needs to be done to reach a
wide range of customers to ensure that the product earns significant level of profits in the future
in the market. I selected Bentley Continental GT car of Bentley Motors. I made a detailed
presentation which covered significant details regarding the car, its different features, price to be
set etc. Therefore, I ensured that I was able to enhance my presentation skills in the right manner.
Also by completing this challenge, I was able to focus on the business angle of branding. This is
so because I identified the way the businesses are able to work on their branding aspect by
ensuring that their products reach the customers.
T-shirt challenge- Our university provided us a challenge of making a T-shirt which is
quite trendy and appeals to the customers in the market (Alonso-Izquierdo, 2018). This T-shirt
needs to be priced appropriately so that it can be sold in higher numbers and can generate the
desired level of revenues and profits. I had to think a lot on the way a trendy T-shirt can be made
so that it can appeal to the customers. I also had to make an excel sheet in which various details
regarding the price of the T-shirt were covered so that a right price can be set which can attract
the customers but can also generate the desired level of profits. As a part of this challenge, I was
able to focus on finance part of the business so that the right price can be set thereby helping in
ensuring that I learn the right way of managing the finances of a business.
The skills
As a part of completion of my challenge, I was able to ensure that I develop the following
types of skills-
Communication skills- These skills are very crucial for a person so that the
communication can be carried out in the right manner (Reinholz, 2016). While completing the
apprentice challenge, I was able to develop these skills because the apprenticeship in an
electronics company required me to connect a lot with different types of people which helped me
in learning a lot from them.
Teamwork skills- To work in a team there is a requirement for a person to be able to
display teamwork skills. These are helpful so that a team is able to progress in the right manner
towards the attainment of the desired goals and objectives. While completing the presentation
challenge, I was able to develop teamwork skills. This was so because I had to take help from
some other people to complete my presentation.
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Time Management and meeting skills- Time Management Skills are required for the
purpose of ensuring that the right use of time is made (Freda and Esposito, 2017). Meeting skills
are very important so that the problems which are faced during the challenges are solved in the
right manner. While completing the T-shirt challenge I was able to develop these skills so that a
trendy T-shirt can be designed which manages to catch the attraction of the various customers.
Business skills and competencies developed- By completing the different types of
challenges I was also able to work on the development of my business skills because all of these
challenges linked with different aspects of a business. Also, I was able to develop various
competencies like Making a presentation, Making the use of Excel etc. Thus in this way I was
able to develop my own skills.
Action plan
I have analysed that there is a requirement for me to be able to develop these skills in the
right manner (Haczeyni and et.al., 2018). In my next 3 years at the university, I will make sure
that I frame an action plan to be followed for facilitating the achievement of these skills. The
action plan will make the use of SMART targets. The action plan is as follows-
Communication Skills-
Specific- For the development of communication skills I will target taking part in more
team meetings and increase the communication with my friends and classmates.
Measurable- Development in communication skills will be done by ensuring that I am
able to successfully communicate with the different types of people.
Attainable- Communication skills will be developed by ensuring that the right methods
are selected through so that there is a significant increase in the confidence for facilitating
communication effectively.
Relevant- Communication skills will be developed by using a method which is relevant
and can help in the development of these skills.
Time-based- Communication skills will be developed within a set time-period of 3 years.
Teamwork skills-
Specific- Teamwork skills will be developed by ensuring that a specific interest is taken
in the various team meetings. I will also ensure that I am able to increase my cooperation and
coordination towards the team for the attainment of these skills.
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Measurable- Teamwork skills I need to make sure that I am able to measure my own
performance as a part of the team.
Attainable- I have to make sure that I am able to use the resources and capabilities which
are relevant to teamwork so that I am able to enhance the teamwork skills.
Relevant- The goal which I have set for the purpose of attainment of teamwork skills
must be relevant so that it can be achieved.
Time-bound- Teamwork skills are required to be achieved within a set time-period of 3
years.
Time Management and meeting skills-
Specific- For the purpose of developing Time Management and meeting skills I will
ensure that I make the right use of time during my projects and take part in more group meetings.
Measurable- The development of Time Management and meeting skills will require that
I use KPIs and Benchmarking for regularly tracking my performance.
Attainable- Time Management and meeting skills can be attained by me using the right
resources and capabilities. Thus I will make the use of them for the purpose of attaining these
skills.
Realistic- Time Management and meeting skills can be achieved by me because I am
fully committed and dedicated towards the achievement of my goals.
Time-bound- Time Management and meeting skills will be achieved by me in a time
period of 3 years.
Business skills and competencies developed-
Specific- For the development of Business skills and competencies developed I will take
an interest in the way the businesses are managed and I will look forward for developing
competencies which can be useful for me in my academic career.
Measurable- For the development of Business skills and competencies I will ensure that
I make use of different metrics for measuring performance.
Attainable- Business skills and competencies will be developed by setting particular
challenges which are helpful in their development.
Realistic- The resources and capabilities which I have can be used in the right manner for
the purpose of attainment of Business skills and competencies.
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Time-based- Business skills and competencies are required to be achieved within a set
time-period of 3 years.
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that reflection means giving own observations
about one's particular experience. It can be highly useful for the purpose of ensuring that a
person is able to achieve the set goals and objectives in the future and can share experience with
the other people.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Avram, F., Pérez, J. L. and Yamazaki, K., 2018. Spectrally negative Lévy processes with
Parisian reflection below and classical reflection above. Stochastic Processes and their
Applications. 128(1). pp.255-290.
Forster, Y. and et.al., 2019. On the expressive power of user-defined effects: effect handlers,
monadic reflection, delimited control. Journal of Functional Programming. 29.
Gao, R. and et.al., 2016. SINOPROBE deep reflection profile reveals a Neo-Proterozoic
subduction zone beneath Sichuan Basin. Earth and Planetary Science Letters. 454.
pp.86-91.
Alonso-Izquierdo, A., 2018. Reflection, transmutation, annihilation, and resonance in two-
component kink collisions. Physical Review D. 97(4). p.045016.
Reinholz, D. L., 2016. Developing mathematical practices through reflection cycles.
Mathematics Education Research Journal. 28(3). pp.441-455.
Freda, M. F. and Esposito, G., 2017. Promoting reflection and reflexivity through narrative
devices. Qualitative Research Journal.
Haczeyni, F. and et.al., 2018. Mouse models of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis: A reflection on
recent literature. Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology. 33(7). pp.1312-1320.
Alós-Ferrer, C. and Hügelschäfer, S., 2016. Faith in intuition and cognitive reflection. Journal of
Behavioral and Experimental Economics. 64. pp.61-70.
Asadchy, V., Albooyeh, M. and Tretyakov, S., 2016. Optical metamirror: all-dielectric
frequency-selective mirror with fully controllable reflection phase. JOSA B. 33(2).
pp.A16-A20.
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Appendix-
PowerPoint Slides-
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