Skills for Workplace: Reflective Essay on Returning to Education

This essay provides a detailed reflection on the experience of returning to education after a 14-year gap, utilizing Gibbs' Reflective Cycle to analyze the journey. The author recounts their participation in a Skills for Workplace (CertHE) course, highlighting the initial anxieties and subsequent excitement, as well as the challenges of balancing studies with family responsibilities. The reflection covers various stages, including the description of the course, feelings experienced, evaluation of what went well and what didn't, analysis of the impact, and conclusions drawn from the experience. Key learnings include the importance of dedication, communication skills, and the need for improved time management. The essay concludes with an action plan for future educational endeavors, focusing on developing time management and organizational skills, with a call to action to explore more educational resources on Desklib.

Academic and
Employability Skills

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
Reflection based on experience of returning to education using a recognised reflective theory.....1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................4

Reflection based on experience of returning to education using a recognised
reflective theory
I made a decision for returning to education after almost 14 years. According to me,
returning to education was one of my best decision in life. Returning to education is step-by-step
approach wherein each step is required to be managed wisely. To elaborate my experience of
returning to education, use of Gibbs reflective theory is effective. It provides structure to learn
from experience in an event or situation. My experience when I returned to education is defined
within stages mentioned in Gibbs Reflective Cycle:
Description: Returning to education was one of decision that I made to open doors for my
career and employability. I participated in a course that is named as Skills for Workplace
(CertHE). The length of the course was of 1 Year (Full Time). It was lot of fun as well as
excitement as in the university which I applied for continuing my studies, I was only adult and
else were students. I participated in various extra curriculum activities and group project that
motivated me to learn new things as well as achieve good grades. Learning in this period brought
meaning together with purpose of life and clarified my future aspiration. In initial days, I faced
huge complexities to learn and understand topics, but, support from my classmates and
professors helped me to complete the education. all my classmates and teachers provided my
study material so that I achieve success in improving my studies and get good opportunities in
career. The course is particularly created as well as its flexible delivery, gave me confidence for
anticipating together with approaching challenges that challenged me independently or with
others.
Feelings: In my case, I felt nervous when I made the decision of returning to education.
Before completing all the formalities of University, I was little anxious, but more excited about
my studies. When I started attending lectures and completing assignments, I felt great as my
knowledge and skills sets were improving that will help me in my future employment. However,
it was a stressful experience for me as studying together with fulfilling my responsibilities
towards family was bit complicated. It developed a feeling of motivation within me to learn
variant skill sets that are importance for workplace in modern era. Looking back at my
experience, I am feeling more satisfied that I made a right decision to return to education as it
changed my whole life. Now, with the knowledge and skills acquired, I work at a MNC at
superior position.
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Evaluation: In my experience to returning to education, it is evaluated that the thing
which was good was my dedication to studies. Moreover, my communication skill also resulted
in achieving success in my study for Skills for Workplace (CertHE) as I shared and exchanged
notes, assignments and learnings with classmates as well as professors. It enables me to take
responsibilities of my own. In contrary, the thing which clearly didn’t went well was
mismanagement of time. My time management did not go well because I was not able to give
time to my family and often get frustrated. I also faced problems in travelling due to huge
distance from my house to campus.
Analysis: From my experience of returning to education, it is analysed that Skills for
Workplace (CertHE) has changed my life (Yu, 2019). Experience of returning to education went
well as I got assistance, materials and support from teachers along with classmates that improved
my studies (Monaghan and Swords, 2021). Other than lectures of the course, I have participated
in other programme which helped me to learn quickly. With application of theory, I can say that
it happened because of support from family, classmate and tutors. Also, my dedication to study
further is also reason behind things happened in such manner.
It enabled me to develop confidence along with competence that are essential within
effective employees. However, things didn’t go well because of my poor time management skill
as I was unable to manage my time in ample number of practices. Many a times, I have skipped
practices so that I can complete the course within the determined time duration. From the whole
situation, I can make sense that retuning to education was my best decisions (Castleberry and
Nolen, 2018).
Conclusions: I have learned that returning to education has improved my knowledge and
skill sets for working in modern organisations. Returning to education was my great experience
as it was full of excitement and developed my employability attributes. I got various help and
materials from teachers in order to complete the course and learn new things. I learned that
returning to education opens new opportunities which might not developed before. It empowered
me and assisted me for attaining my aspirations together with career goals. In the course of Skills
for Workplace (CertHE), I have discovered my talents and expanded my skills to gain sense of
pride in achievements. In future, if I have to handle the situation like this, I need to develop time
management skill and organising skills.
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Action Plan: If I get the chance to return to education in future, I need to develop certain
skills (Pennington, 2020). I will develop my time managements skill through effectively
prioritizing tasks, developing a schedule, learn patterns of productivity and reinforcing good
habits in one month of period. Moreover. I will improve my organising skill through actions of
beginning tasks early, avoiding distractions and maintaining efficiency in 2 months.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Castleberry, A. and Nolen, A., 2018. Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: is it as easy
as it sounds?. Currents in pharmacy teaching and learning. 10(6). pp.807-815.
Monaghan, C. and Swords, L., 2021. I’m still learning: perspectives on returning to education
among early school leavers. International Journal of Inclusive Education, pp.1-14.
Monaghan, C. and Swords, L., 2021. I’m still learning: perspectives on returning to education
among early school leavers. International Journal of Inclusive Education, pp.1-14.
Pennington, G., 2020. Returning the Game to the Original Owners. Physical & Health Education
Journal. 86(3). pp.1-5.
Yu, L. T., 2019. Returning Special Education Students to General Education Classrooms: Effects
on Peers’ Reading Scores. Chicago Policy Review (Online).
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