Work Based Learning Module: Reflection on Skills and Career Goals

This report reflects on the experience gained from a work-based learning module, detailing the learning experiences, specific skills acquired, and future development plans. The module covered various learning approaches, including self-reflection and work-based learning, emphasizing the importance of employability skills and transferable skills in the labor market. Specific workplace skills acquired include communication, team working, active listening, organizational and planning, time management, creative thinking, and customer service skills. The report also identifies skills to be developed for a future role as an HR manager, such as problem-solving, critical thinking, leadership, and management skills. A LinkedIn profile screenshot is included to showcase professional development.

WORK BASED LEARNING

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
What you have learned in the module?.......................................................................................1
The specific workplace skills you have acquired........................................................................2
What other skills are you planning to develop after this module against your future job role?. 4
Attach a screenshot of your LinkedIn profile at the end of the report........................................6
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
References:.......................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Learning is the continuous process that helps an individual to develop at personal and
professional level. In the employment phase it is important for the employee to gain the work
based learning as this helps a person to quantify professional development. Work based learning
is the learning approach that provides a student a real time experiences to develop their
employability skills (Suleman, 2018). In the workplace there is huge importance of the work
based learning for the employers and employees are this helps in motivating the employees to
attain higher productivity and to gain self esteem. The present report is the reflection on the
experience on the module of work based learning. The report will include the reflection on
learning experienced during module and the specific skills acquired by me during this respective
module. Further, in the report some skills are discussed that are required to be developed as the
future job role. In the end, a LinkedIn profile is attached.
MAIN BODY
What you have learned in the module?
Learning is the basis to grow and develop in the academic courses for which students
have to attend different module sessions. While I attended the module on the work based
learning I gained a good and meaningful experience. The whole module has helped me to
develop myself as a learner by learning some knowledge, skills and capabilities (Sokhanvar,
Salehi and Sokhanvar, 2021). During this module I gained knowledge on different subjects and
areas that are discussed underneath:
 In the starting of the module I have learned about the different approaches of learning
such as self reflection learning, learning through materials and most importantly the work
based learning. This part of the module was highly interesting and knowledgeable for me
as I never knew about the different forms of learning as a student. Thus, I have explicitly
learnt about the learning approaches and most importantly about the work based learning
approach.
 Moving further into the module sessions I learned about the different ways of gaining the
work based learning that is through self reflection, feedbacks, team projects, training and
development programs and much more. This all helped me to enhance my knowledge and
learning about how I must grab the different opportunities at the workplace in order to
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learn or acquire the new knowledge and capabilities. During this time I also learned about
the learning programmes that the organisations conduct for their employees to attain
learning at the workplace which is a motivating factor for the employees.
 During the module the most important thing that I have learned is about the different
types of employability skills and transferable skills required by an individual in order to
get suitable job as per the expectations. From this I have learned the importance of
employability skills in the recent labour market.
 The module based on the work based learning has also helped me to learn about the
importance and purpose of work based learning in the student life. Also I have developed
an understanding regarding the ways to enhance the potential of acquiring the work based
learning in order to have logical and practical mind growth (Fahimirad and et. al., 2019).
 In this module there was the session on personal reflection by which I have learned about
the method to analyse my own strengths and weaknesses. Through this I was able to
recognise my actions and my strengths and weaknesses that I must pay attention in order
to improve them timely. Also, this was useful in gaining the self analyses in perfect
manner in order to gain personal and professional development.
The specific workplace skills you have acquired.
During the module I got an opportunity to develop some employability, transferable and
some more other skills. Some of the key workplace skills that I have acquired during this module
are discussed underneath:
Communication skills: this module has helped me to acquire excellent communication skills
which help me to interact with the others in future. During the module I used to work with other
that helped me to grow my communication skills at the large scale. With the verbal
communication skills I have also acquired the written communication skills that help me to
frame good letters and presentation contents. The verbal communication skills acquired by me
will help in effective communication will the team mates and higher authorities at the
professional level (Osmani and et. al ., 2019). This will also help me in developing effective
relationship with others. Also with the effective communication skills I will be able to encounter
new opportunities for my future career.
Team working skills: during the module there were several group activities where the work is
required are done in a team. This practice of completing a task in the module helped me acquire
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team working skills as they are highly important in order to work effectively in a team as team
member. Team working is a capability of a pupil to collaboratively work with the others without
any conflicts and interruptions. For the team work that has higher productivity, better results and
performance it was important for me to develop and acquire the sound team working skills. For
this I also learned about the delegation of work as this make team working more easy and
comfortable. The team working skills are the transferable skills that will help me in every
specific areas of the employability and also make me good coordinator.
Active listening skills: with the effective communication skills I have also acquired the effective
listening skills as in order to speak with clarity or communicate with other wisely and
appropriately it was important for me to gain active listening skills (Di Gregorio and et. al .,
2019). During the module sessions there were lectures and listening sessions that helped in
developing the active listening skills as there with focus and extreme concentration I used to
listening actively. This is also useful during the team working in order to listen to others
perspectives and opinions rather than speaking only about my opinion. Development of such
skill during the module will help in future career or at workplace to have clarity of thoughts and
to maintain effective communication with others.
Organisational and planning skills: in this module in regards of workplace skills I have
acquired the organising and planning skills which are highly important for me in order to work
effectively at the workplace. Organisational skills are the capabilities by which I will be able to
use and manage the resources properly and set it as per the workplace requirement. This skill
help me in maintaining the files and others essentials documents in orderly manner as per the
workplace. The planning skills are the capability that allow me effectively estimate the process,
method,resources, time and efforts required in order to complete a task. This make my work
more accurate and precise as when everything works with the plan the results are successful.
Time management skills: The time is most important aspect for the workplace as it is more
valuable than money. In order to work effectively and efficiently at workplace it is highly
important to acquire time management skills. In a workplace every task has certain deadline for
which an employee must have excellent time management skills to meet the deadlines. In this
module I have acquired the time management skills. During the module the tutor used to assign
the assessments and group projects that wee time bound and this helped me to learn and acquire
the time management skills which later seemed as my key strength.
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Creative thinking skills: at the workplace in order to gain innovation it is important to have
creative mind that has capability to think out of the box (Ornellas, Falkner and Stålbrandt,
2019). In this module of work based learning the teacher assigned some tasks that assisted me in
developing significant creative thinking skills. These are the skills that allow me to articulate the
innovative and unique ideas and projects that also made me attain good grades in several
assessments. In the workplace innovation is key to success as the market dynamics keep
changing rapidly for which workplace creates an environment as the form of work based learning
where a person can foster creative thinking skills.
Customer service skills: At the workplace the customers are the key assets that helps the
business to run and sustain in market for life or long term. Therefore, it is essential for the
organisations to maintain the effective customer service in order to build strong brand image.
During this module there was session on the how to build effective customer service, there I was
able to acquire customer service skills (Damoah, Peprah and Brefo, 2021). These are the skills
that require a organisation and its employees to become persuasive, have empathy and patience
in order to attract and retain the customers.
What other skills are you planning to develop after this module against your future job role?
My future job role in which I am interested and ambitious about is of HR manager.
Hum,an resource manager is the person that has role of managing and controlling the activities
related to the workforce of the company (Scott and et. al ., 2019). For this future role I am
require to develop some key skills that are essential for this particular job role. Some of the key
skills that I am planning to develop are discussed below:
Problem solving: HR manager has a role to resolve the issues and problems the employee is
facing in organisation or to resolve the conflicts between employees. For this I must develop
effective problem solving skills that will help me resolving the organisation workforce issues and
conflicts quickly before it turned to be as loss for the organisation. I am required to develop this
skills for which I firstly must learn how to identify and brainstorm the whole situation or
problem.
Critical thinking skills: for the HR manager it is important to have critical thinking skills in
order to gain the effective problem solving skills. In order to think from perspective of both
parties it is important for me to develop critical thinking abilities. This skill is highly essential to
developed for the role of HR manager as this will bring openness and analysis and interpretation
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for the situation related to the lower performance of the workforce or any other issue that
employees may encounter within the organisation (Cotronei-Baird, 2020).
Leadership skills: A HR manager is person that has duty to direct, control , guide and lead the
workforce towards the organisational goals and objectives. The HR manager also conduct
induction programs for the new joiners in the organisation. In order to perform all these role in
best way the as the HR manager I must develop leadership skills (Alharahsheh and Pius, 2021).
Leadership skills are the capabilities to organise and direct the peoples action to reach the shared
goals. The leadership skills are also important for my future job role because it will help me
motivate the employees and lead workforce in the right and positive direction to generate higher
productivity.
Management skills: For the HR manager the management skills are the key skills that must be
possessed in high degree in order to justify the particular job role. Therefore, I have planned to
develop my management skills in order to attain the future job role of HR manager in top
organisation. Management skills are the capabilities to manage and allocate the resources in
effective manner for the optimal utilization (Ayala Calvo and Manzano García, 2021).
Management skills comprises of the multiple skills and attributes such as delegation,
adaptability, communication etc. that I must acquire during the development of the particular
skill.
IT skills: in the current workplace environment everything is becoming digital. In the job role of
the HR manager there is improvisation of many human resource management software's and
systems such as HRIS and key performance indicators that digitally feeds the information of
employees in orderly manner and also help in evaluation of their performance in accurate
manner. In order to operate such software's and computer applications it is highly essential for
me to develop my IT skills and technical skills in order to effectively work and operate on such
applications as this will also help me to reduce my workload, save time and efforts and make the
management of human resource information more accurate and precise (Gill, 2020).
Decision making skills: For the future job role of HR manager I must develop an effective
decision making skills as this will help me in improving and developing my other skills as well.
HR manager has to take several decisions related to recruitment, Selection, performance,
appraisals and much more in all this it is highly important for me to have the effective decision
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making skills in order to take right decisions that helps the employees and company to grow.
This skill will also help in quick problem solving and better management of the workforce.
Training skills: HR manager has a duty to train the new employees and the old employees as
well. In order to perform this duty effectively I must plan to develop my training skills. Training
skills are the capabilities to develop others talent by creating the scope and opportunity for the
employees to enhance their skills (Laguna-Sánchez and et. al ., 2020). Therefore, in future to
perform effectively as a HR manager it is essential for me to develop my training skills to
organise knowledgeable and informational induction programs for the new comers.
Attach a screenshot of your LinkedIn profile at the end of the report.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded that for the student or the employee it is important
to have continuous learning and development in order to prosper in career. As a learner the
person always tends to gain some knowledge and skills. At the workplace there is requirement of
key employability skills in order to perform effectively. Communication, time management, IT.
Leadership skills are the major transferable skills that every person must develop in order to
perform effectively at the workplace.
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References:
Books and Journals
Alharahsheh, H.H. and Pius, A., 2021. Exploration of Employability Skills in Business
Management Studies Within Higher Education Levels: Systematic Literature
Review. Research Anthology on Business and Technical Education in the Information
Era, pp.1147-1164.
Ayala Calvo, J.C. and Manzano García, G., 2021. The influence of psychological capital on
graduates’ perception of employability: the mediating role of employability
skills. Higher Education Research & Development, 40(2), pp.293-308.
Cotronei-Baird, V.S., 2020. Academic hindrances in the integration of employability skills
development in teaching and assessment practice. Higher Education, 79(2), pp.203-223.
Damoah, O.B.O., Peprah, A.A. and Brefo, K.O., 2021. Does higher education equip graduate
students with the employability skills employers require? The perceptions of employers
in Ghana. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 45(10), pp.1311-1324.
Di Gregorio, A and et. al ., 2019. Employability skills for future marketing
professionals. European management journal, 37(3), pp.251-258.
Fahimirad, M and et. al., 2019. Integration and Development of Employability Skills into
Malaysian Higher Education Context: Review of the Literature. International Journal of
Higher Education, 8(6), pp.26-35.
Gill, R.J., 2020. Graduate employability skills through online internships and projects during the
COVID-19 Pandemic: An Australian example. Journal of Teaching and Learning for
Graduate Employability, 11(1), pp.146-158.
Laguna-Sánchez, P and et. al ., 2020. A university training programme for acquiring
entrepreneurial and transversal employability skills, a students’
assessment. Sustainability, 12(3), p.796.
Ornellas, A., Falkner, K. and Stålbrandt, E.E., 2019. Enhancing graduates’ employability skills
through authentic learning approaches. Higher education, skills and work-based
learning.
Osmani, M and et. al ., 2019. Graduates employability skills: A review of literature against
market demand. Journal of Education for Business, 94(7), pp.423-432.
Scott, F.J and et. al ., 2019. Empowering students by enhancing their employability
skills. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 43(5), pp.692-707.
Sokhanvar, Z., Salehi, K. and Sokhanvar, F., 2021. Advantages of authentic assessment for
improving the learning experience and employability skills of higher education
students: A systematic literature review. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 70,
p.101030.
Suleman, F., 2018. The employability skills of higher education graduates: insights into
conceptual frameworks and methodological options. Higher Education, 76(2), pp.263-
278.
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