P2: Complete a career plan identifying their deveolpment needs.
In this task, I will be discussing my future career plan within a 2-5 year career development and what skills I will need in order to achieve my set objectives within the role of banking. I will also require a wide range of different resources to help myself follow my career plan and also what skills I need to improve or adapt to in order to succeed with my future progression.
BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 (2013-2015)
Since obtaining my GSCE's at secondary school, I undertook the course of BTEC Business at Level 3 within Harlow College as this was an area of interest to me as I didn't get the opportunity to select business as an option within secondary school. As I am currently still on this course and aiming for a D*D*D* grade, I will be able to leave the course once all my deadlines have been met and that my target grade has been acheived. This course allowed me to understand more in depth computer and technological skills that I haven't learnt beforehand therefore providing a great amount of knowledge in this field. This would mean that within this course, I would be able to meet the dealines set and the ability to work independently which would help improve my time management skills as well as work under pressure when tasks are due in as well as work with a variety of different teams improving my teamwork contribution and confidence.
Finding a job within a banking firm or assistant business manager (2015-2017)
Once I leave Harlow College once all my deadlines have been met, I would be looking for a job within my future career sector meaning I will have to scout around local businesses to put myself out there within the business world. Within the two years after I leave my course in 2015, I am to find a job whether it is in Banking or becoming an Assistant Manager for a business in a selected industy. By achieving this target, I would be on schedule in completing my career plan as well as obtaining the experience I require to help further myself within the field of business management. The skills I would require to expand upon would be my personal level of listening skills as I am prone to loosing interest when being told the task at hand. I would also need to adpat to improving my motivation and determination levels to ensure that I fulfil my targets and that I push myself to ensure I succeed in the future. Within this target, I would need to improve my confidence levels by interacting with my work colleagues to form a friendly working relationship and that it will help with my future progression within my job role.
Achieving my job role as Bank Manager or Business Manager (2017-2020)
Once I have gained the experience from my job roles within a bank or assitant manager, I would aim to achieve a higher role within the business I am currently working or to to leave my job to find a more suiting job role as a manager. This future progression would mean that I have improved many aspects that I stated on my skills auidt that were my weaknesses which would enhance the possibility of me achieving a job within bank management or business management. As I aim to achieve a job role within a bank such as Santander or business management within a warehouse, by having the skills necessary and the skills that I have massively improved other my 2-5 year career plan, this wold make me one of the best candidates for the job which overall will make sure that my career plan has been fully met and that I have gained connections along the way resulting in achieving my targets, career plan and my future job within management.
BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 (2013-2015)
Since obtaining my GSCE's at secondary school, I undertook the course of BTEC Business at Level 3 within Harlow College as this was an area of interest to me as I didn't get the opportunity to select business as an option within secondary school. As I am currently still on this course and aiming for a D*D*D* grade, I will be able to leave the course once all my deadlines have been met and that my target grade has been acheived. This course allowed me to understand more in depth computer and technological skills that I haven't learnt beforehand therefore providing a great amount of knowledge in this field. This would mean that within this course, I would be able to meet the dealines set and the ability to work independently which would help improve my time management skills as well as work under pressure when tasks are due in as well as work with a variety of different teams improving my teamwork contribution and confidence.
Finding a job within a banking firm or assistant business manager (2015-2017)
Once I leave Harlow College once all my deadlines have been met, I would be looking for a job within my future career sector meaning I will have to scout around local businesses to put myself out there within the business world. Within the two years after I leave my course in 2015, I am to find a job whether it is in Banking or becoming an Assistant Manager for a business in a selected industy. By achieving this target, I would be on schedule in completing my career plan as well as obtaining the experience I require to help further myself within the field of business management. The skills I would require to expand upon would be my personal level of listening skills as I am prone to loosing interest when being told the task at hand. I would also need to adpat to improving my motivation and determination levels to ensure that I fulfil my targets and that I push myself to ensure I succeed in the future. Within this target, I would need to improve my confidence levels by interacting with my work colleagues to form a friendly working relationship and that it will help with my future progression within my job role.
Achieving my job role as Bank Manager or Business Manager (2017-2020)
Once I have gained the experience from my job roles within a bank or assitant manager, I would aim to achieve a higher role within the business I am currently working or to to leave my job to find a more suiting job role as a manager. This future progression would mean that I have improved many aspects that I stated on my skills auidt that were my weaknesses which would enhance the possibility of me achieving a job within bank management or business management. As I aim to achieve a job role within a bank such as Santander or business management within a warehouse, by having the skills necessary and the skills that I have massively improved other my 2-5 year career plan, this wold make me one of the best candidates for the job which overall will make sure that my career plan has been fully met and that I have gained connections along the way resulting in achieving my targets, career plan and my future job within management.
M1: Assess methods of achieving development needs within the time frame of the career plan.
Within this task, I will be assessing what methods of improvement I would need to undertake in order to fulfil my targets in order to obtain a job as Bank Manager or Business Manager. These skills are essential towards myself and how I will improve them in order to have a better chance of obtaining the job that I am aiming for in the future as well as to help follow my career plan.
Communication Skills
One key skill I would need to develop more would be my communication skills when either working within or a team, face to face speaking or presenting towards a group of people. An example of this would be working in a team and then presenting the task at hand towards an audience of either classmates within the college I am currently studying at or adults that I don't personally know through the form of a PowerPoint presentation. I believe I am able to perform these skills but only if I understand the topic clearly and that I personally know the people in the audience. However, due to these reasons, this is a skill that I would need to look into improving in order to succeed at obtaining a job as a Bank Manager or a Business Manager. To improve this skill, I would need to speak more when operating with a team so that my own opinions are shared and that the team understand my concerns about the task at hand. This skill will be essential within the business industry as employers are always looking for a good first impression so by improving this skill, I will be able to communicate clearly towards my future employers as well as customers and colleagues within the working environment.
Interview Skills
Relating to my communication skills, I will need to perform interview skills when having face to face conversations within the work place as well as at the job interview I will need to undertake. During interviews, it is important for me to record some relevant information about the job at hand so that I can ask questions at the end of the interview to show an interest and passion within the job role. There are many ways of performing interviews within a job interview. My own way of performing at an job interview is to practice beforehand to help understand a few questions that may appear and how to answer these questions to my best standard or to perform a one to one interview with someone working in the same field I am looking on applying for such as a family member or friend that works within the Banking industry. The overall reason for myself to improve these skills as it would be essential to make a good first impression within an interview to help me obtain a job with Bank Management or Business Management. Another aspect within job interviews is to show good body language and to work with the strengths and weaknesses that I have and how I can present these effectively towards the interviewer.
Organisational Skills and Time Management
I believe that I have good organisational skills and that I have used these skills throughout the course of the education whether I used them within Secondary School as well as within Harlow College. This is due to the fact that throughout my BTEC Business course at Harlow College and through completing assignments within Secondary School, I have always met deadlines that have been set to me and I have also produced the work before the deadline set. This shows my future employers that I have this skill due to the fact that I have completed all of my BTEC Business units of work and that I am achieving the highest grade that is obtainable. Within organisational skills comes time management so that the assignments I have been set at met and planned accordingly through time management. When handing in deadlines, the target is to finish the task within the time given so therefore making it easier for completing other tasks that I have been assigned. Within Harlow College, as I get assigned many pieces of coursework this results in time management to be used and to plan what task is needed to be done when so that I don't start to fall behind with my education. Within my future job as Bank Manager or Business Manager, I will be have assignments to complete within a certain time window meaning that I would need to plan more effectively in order to complete the work I have. A recommendation for myself would be to plan more effectively although I do complete the tasks at hand. This would benefit myself with completing deadlines even quicker but producing time lines of when designated work is needed to be completed by overall improving my organisational skills as well as my time management.
Distraction
One aspect within my learning that I do have a habit of doing is to be easily distracted within the working environment. This is an area of weakness and that this needs to be improved otherwise this may have an impact on me becoming a future Bank Manager or Business Manager. This is caused by communicating with others around me and therefore to not listen at the when an assignment is being delivered to us. This would result in potentially handing in incorrect work due to the lack of attention I was showing and also this would mean that I am not showing off my true potential I have within the business course and working environment. This also affects my learning outside of college due to getting distracted when I am at home when trying to complete an assignment. This needs to be improved as this is one of my weaknesses when completing work for set deadlines. Although I complete the deadlines on time, they take longer than planned due to the distractions around me and this could be improved by fully focusing on the task at hand and to remove any distractions around me and this would mean I would have the free time afterwards once the assignment is completed.
Communication Skills
One key skill I would need to develop more would be my communication skills when either working within or a team, face to face speaking or presenting towards a group of people. An example of this would be working in a team and then presenting the task at hand towards an audience of either classmates within the college I am currently studying at or adults that I don't personally know through the form of a PowerPoint presentation. I believe I am able to perform these skills but only if I understand the topic clearly and that I personally know the people in the audience. However, due to these reasons, this is a skill that I would need to look into improving in order to succeed at obtaining a job as a Bank Manager or a Business Manager. To improve this skill, I would need to speak more when operating with a team so that my own opinions are shared and that the team understand my concerns about the task at hand. This skill will be essential within the business industry as employers are always looking for a good first impression so by improving this skill, I will be able to communicate clearly towards my future employers as well as customers and colleagues within the working environment.
Interview Skills
Relating to my communication skills, I will need to perform interview skills when having face to face conversations within the work place as well as at the job interview I will need to undertake. During interviews, it is important for me to record some relevant information about the job at hand so that I can ask questions at the end of the interview to show an interest and passion within the job role. There are many ways of performing interviews within a job interview. My own way of performing at an job interview is to practice beforehand to help understand a few questions that may appear and how to answer these questions to my best standard or to perform a one to one interview with someone working in the same field I am looking on applying for such as a family member or friend that works within the Banking industry. The overall reason for myself to improve these skills as it would be essential to make a good first impression within an interview to help me obtain a job with Bank Management or Business Management. Another aspect within job interviews is to show good body language and to work with the strengths and weaknesses that I have and how I can present these effectively towards the interviewer.
Organisational Skills and Time Management
I believe that I have good organisational skills and that I have used these skills throughout the course of the education whether I used them within Secondary School as well as within Harlow College. This is due to the fact that throughout my BTEC Business course at Harlow College and through completing assignments within Secondary School, I have always met deadlines that have been set to me and I have also produced the work before the deadline set. This shows my future employers that I have this skill due to the fact that I have completed all of my BTEC Business units of work and that I am achieving the highest grade that is obtainable. Within organisational skills comes time management so that the assignments I have been set at met and planned accordingly through time management. When handing in deadlines, the target is to finish the task within the time given so therefore making it easier for completing other tasks that I have been assigned. Within Harlow College, as I get assigned many pieces of coursework this results in time management to be used and to plan what task is needed to be done when so that I don't start to fall behind with my education. Within my future job as Bank Manager or Business Manager, I will be have assignments to complete within a certain time window meaning that I would need to plan more effectively in order to complete the work I have. A recommendation for myself would be to plan more effectively although I do complete the tasks at hand. This would benefit myself with completing deadlines even quicker but producing time lines of when designated work is needed to be completed by overall improving my organisational skills as well as my time management.
Distraction
One aspect within my learning that I do have a habit of doing is to be easily distracted within the working environment. This is an area of weakness and that this needs to be improved otherwise this may have an impact on me becoming a future Bank Manager or Business Manager. This is caused by communicating with others around me and therefore to not listen at the when an assignment is being delivered to us. This would result in potentially handing in incorrect work due to the lack of attention I was showing and also this would mean that I am not showing off my true potential I have within the business course and working environment. This also affects my learning outside of college due to getting distracted when I am at home when trying to complete an assignment. This needs to be improved as this is one of my weaknesses when completing work for set deadlines. Although I complete the deadlines on time, they take longer than planned due to the distractions around me and this could be improved by fully focusing on the task at hand and to remove any distractions around me and this would mean I would have the free time afterwards once the assignment is completed.
D1: Evaluate the distance travelled in achieving the planned objectives of the career plan
For this task, I will be evaluating the distance that I have travelled in achieving the planned objectives of my set career plan. I will begin by starting with when I obtained my GCSE grades and follow the progression of obtaining a job within my chosen career path. Furthermore, I will explain why I chose to choose Business and also why I chose Harlow College rather than another local college. I will also mention what skills I have developed overtime within the course and what skills I still need to develop in the future to help me with my aim to become a Bank Manager or a Business Manager.
Once I completed all of my GCSE courses in 2013, I applied to undertake BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 within Harlow College. Within my time at Stewards Academy, I didn't have the opportunity to choose Business as one of my courses in the future as another one of my subjects correlated within the Business time table meaning I had to leave the opportunity to not study Business for three years. By choosing Business within Harlow College at a later stage was mainly due to not having the chance beforehand and therefore was one of my reasons for choosing BTEC Business. Once choosing this course, I have had an enjoyable time and that I adapted to many unit topics such as Accounting and Business Management which can help me follow my career plan in the future due to finding these units enjoyable to learn. By achieving all Distinction grades for my first nine units completed within the first academic year, this gives me a positive attitude towards business and that I can complete tasks within the set deadlines.
The main reason I chose Harlow College to help improve and provide my further education was due to the fact that it had the status of the No.1 College within England and that it was local to where I live. By attending Harlow College, I have been able to improve many skills and also develop many skills such as a growth in confidence, organisational skills, Time management and to operate on my own as independent learning. The reasons why I was able to improve these skills as well as adapt them is due to how the tutors focused on my learning and how well I matured over the years meaning that I was able to focus a lot more on my learning and that I had the confidence to ask my tutors for help when I needed it. Due to the course not operating with exams, I was able to have better organisational skills as well as time management to help me complete the tasks at hand making it helpful for me to achieve my target grade which is D*D*D* grade. However, being at Harlow College I was able to study independently and also to perform group tasks to help within the course. This improved my confidence as a person as I was able to maintain a program of when to complete tasks as well as confidence to designate roles as well as provide answers within the group work we performed throughout the business course. Throughout my two years at Harlow College, I was able to mature as an adult and to also embrace people's advice and how to become ambitious as a person within Harlow College and that I can aim to achieve the highest grade within my course.
In the future, I will still need to develop and build upon some of my existing skills that I have and learnt at Harlow College. Through aiming to complete the BTEC Business course within Harlow College I need to make sure that I still use these skills to the best of my ability as well as to improve them when necessary such as my communication skills through practicing potential job interviews as well as public speaking. By following on from this, this would make me become a better person and also will help me make myself stand out from my competitors when applying for a job and having a job interview. As the Business course provided me with a lot of information of how to achieve a high job role within the future, I believe this was the best decision on choosing this course and that no other course would be better suited towards me. From following on to achieve my set target of D*D*D, this will give me a good grade to showcase on my CV and to also show my attributes towards future employers and how I stand out from my opposition or team members.
To summarise, by following on from my GCSE's to study BTEC Business at Harlow College, I have gained many skills and this will help me within the future of achieving my future career as either a Bank Manager or a Business Manager. The course was beneficial as well as the location as it is local to where I live and was also the NO.1 College across England meaning I would get the best education possible to help me succeed within my future career path within management.
Once I completed all of my GCSE courses in 2013, I applied to undertake BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 within Harlow College. Within my time at Stewards Academy, I didn't have the opportunity to choose Business as one of my courses in the future as another one of my subjects correlated within the Business time table meaning I had to leave the opportunity to not study Business for three years. By choosing Business within Harlow College at a later stage was mainly due to not having the chance beforehand and therefore was one of my reasons for choosing BTEC Business. Once choosing this course, I have had an enjoyable time and that I adapted to many unit topics such as Accounting and Business Management which can help me follow my career plan in the future due to finding these units enjoyable to learn. By achieving all Distinction grades for my first nine units completed within the first academic year, this gives me a positive attitude towards business and that I can complete tasks within the set deadlines.
The main reason I chose Harlow College to help improve and provide my further education was due to the fact that it had the status of the No.1 College within England and that it was local to where I live. By attending Harlow College, I have been able to improve many skills and also develop many skills such as a growth in confidence, organisational skills, Time management and to operate on my own as independent learning. The reasons why I was able to improve these skills as well as adapt them is due to how the tutors focused on my learning and how well I matured over the years meaning that I was able to focus a lot more on my learning and that I had the confidence to ask my tutors for help when I needed it. Due to the course not operating with exams, I was able to have better organisational skills as well as time management to help me complete the tasks at hand making it helpful for me to achieve my target grade which is D*D*D* grade. However, being at Harlow College I was able to study independently and also to perform group tasks to help within the course. This improved my confidence as a person as I was able to maintain a program of when to complete tasks as well as confidence to designate roles as well as provide answers within the group work we performed throughout the business course. Throughout my two years at Harlow College, I was able to mature as an adult and to also embrace people's advice and how to become ambitious as a person within Harlow College and that I can aim to achieve the highest grade within my course.
In the future, I will still need to develop and build upon some of my existing skills that I have and learnt at Harlow College. Through aiming to complete the BTEC Business course within Harlow College I need to make sure that I still use these skills to the best of my ability as well as to improve them when necessary such as my communication skills through practicing potential job interviews as well as public speaking. By following on from this, this would make me become a better person and also will help me make myself stand out from my competitors when applying for a job and having a job interview. As the Business course provided me with a lot of information of how to achieve a high job role within the future, I believe this was the best decision on choosing this course and that no other course would be better suited towards me. From following on to achieve my set target of D*D*D, this will give me a good grade to showcase on my CV and to also show my attributes towards future employers and how I stand out from my opposition or team members.
To summarise, by following on from my GCSE's to study BTEC Business at Harlow College, I have gained many skills and this will help me within the future of achieving my future career as either a Bank Manager or a Business Manager. The course was beneficial as well as the location as it is local to where I live and was also the NO.1 College across England meaning I would get the best education possible to help me succeed within my future career path within management.
P3: Carry out a skills audit to identify skills gaps
For this task, I will be carrying out my own personal skills audit and to discover what areas and skills I need to improve in order to make myself more confident and more reliable to help obtain my future career as either a Bank Manager or Business Manager. By understanding what areas I need to improve, I will perform my own personal SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) of myself to help figure out how to improve some areas that are not up to standard and to figure out what opportunities I will have and what the threats would be in the future for me on achieving my future career.
Skills Audit
Reece Boughtwood Unit 15 P3: Skills Audit | |
File Size: | 273 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Above is my own personal skills audit that I carried out to identify areas of strengths, weaknesses and skills gaps. Within the skills audit, I have graded each skills out of a possible 5, 5 being the best score within that skill and 1 being the worst and an area that needs significant improvement. Below, I will also be carrying out a SWOT analysis to help find my own strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that could affect my future career and I will overcome these aspects.
My personal carried out SWOT Analysis
Strengths
1: One strength that I do have is the ability to record notes and to gather research for any task at hand. This is very effective as gathering information and note taking will help me with any given task that I am set meaning I can fulfil the tasks within a working environment and this would show my employers what I am capable of doing and how reliable I am as a worker.
2: Another skill that I have is operating on computers and other pieces of technology. By operating on technology, this shows that I have the abilities to use most of the facilities within an working environment and I am also able to function with some of the programs on a computer such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. I could back this point up as I achieved a Distinction Grade within my ICT course as secondary school meaning the skills I have learned have been applied to my studies within my BTEC Business course.
3: Communication skills is a useful skill that I have obtained through my time at work. As I deal with customers and to help them around the warehouse as well as process specific orders for them, this would be done through face to face interactions or across the phone. By having this strength, communication skills can always be used to help represent myself as a person and that I am always aiming to help others within a working environment.
4: My final strength I have is the ability to learn very quickly what new skills I am shown and told to adapt with in the future. By understanding what new skill I need to implement within my future career, this can help me become a successful manager either within a bank or a business and overall can show clear dedication towards to the job role.
Weaknesses
1: One weakness that I do have is the ability to lose interest and to not pay attention when I am being addressed to. This is a major concern within my development to become a future Bank Manager or Business Manager as if I am not focusing when being taught new information about the job then mistakes would be made and it would fall back on me. This weakness would need to be improved as this is an area of discomfort and this could show my future employers a sign that I am not the right person for the job and that the potential I have within me isn't being used effectively.
2: My second weakness is the ability to work to on my own and that I don't have the confidence to operate when I would require help with the task at hand. This is a very important area that I need to improve as I have the ability to work on my own but if I don't have any self confidence then it would effect the work amount I put in and this could show a bad impression within the working environment.
3: Another weakness is the ability to work under pressure whether it is caused through public speaking to a large crowd or to complete work within a certain time scale and that I have loads more work to do as well as not understand on what work I am completing. The feeling of working under pressure could result in myself not wanting to work within my future job role and that this needs to be improved by either practice any presentation required beforehand so I gather an understanding on what to say to the audience and also to complete work before any deadline like I have been doing through my education and to ask for assistance when necessary.
4: Furthermore, there is also an element within my work ethic which needs improving so that I can complete the work at hand before the deadlines set. Although I am good at meeting deadlines, by not having a high enough work ethic can result in myself struggling to keep up to date with work and that longer days at work are required to complete the work. By completing the assignments early, this can result in more free time for myself and to provide a better feeling for myself within the working environment.
Opportunities
1: One opportunity I may have in the future is the opportunity to attend a course at university. Although I do not plan to attend university as I aim to obtain a job within a bank and to gradually work my up to the top likewise within business management. However, if this doesn't plan out for me, then university if defiantly an option to take within the future as this is a method to help obtain a new future career within a new area that I may become interested in.
2: Another opportunity that I could take is to take up an opportunity to join one of the courses within management with Investment2020 as they provide many management opportunities within many high profile businesses. By completing this, this would help within job interviews and about the experience I have already gathered compared to others looking at the same job as myself.
3: My main opportunity goal is to achieve a job within Bank Management or Business Management so by gathering the experience beforehand, this should help me achieve this. When I finally achieve my target and achieve this, I may have the ability to work abroad within the same region of work to gather some more experience in different Countries which overall makes myself stand out towards overs within the working environment.
4: If I am able to not achieve my set career path and I do not follow my career plan, I would need a fall back option. This would be to choose a course within IT due to the knowledge I have on operating with technology. This could be my second plan if I don't achieve my first one within management due to my knowledge already and this could give me opportunities to work within high profile businesses such as Google or Microsoft.
Threats
1: One threat that I would have if the lack of experience if I do not follow on with the Investment2020 course. This could be a big issue within my future of becoming a Bank Manager or Business Manager as I would be pushed down the list of candidates compared to others who have had the experience within this field so by following on with my career plan would help benefit job opportunities within the UK.
2: Another threat I could have is by not passing my BTEC Business course at Harlow College. This would be a major impact of my future career due to the fact that I didn't complete my course that I was studying for a total of two years. Although I am aiming for a D*D*D* grade within my course and that I am on my way to finishing the course, the lack of motivation near the end could damage my chances of obtaining my future job within the future.
3: The final threat that I may have would be the grade I receive with my business course and also and grade that could have been improved within my time at secondary school that I didn't follow through on in improving. If I obtain a Pass or a Merit grade with my BTEC Business course, this could make others with the same course qualifications as me to have a better chance at getting the job than me and if I didn't follow through more on my English I may have received a higher grade than an A and a C grade.
Overall, the skills that I need to develop in the future are my attention skills, confidence, working under pressure and improving my work ethic. BY improving these aspects will overall help myself achieve a better job with management and that this would help me complete many goals within my career plan like complete my BTEC Business course and to obtain the job that's right for me.
My personal carried out SWOT Analysis
Strengths
1: One strength that I do have is the ability to record notes and to gather research for any task at hand. This is very effective as gathering information and note taking will help me with any given task that I am set meaning I can fulfil the tasks within a working environment and this would show my employers what I am capable of doing and how reliable I am as a worker.
2: Another skill that I have is operating on computers and other pieces of technology. By operating on technology, this shows that I have the abilities to use most of the facilities within an working environment and I am also able to function with some of the programs on a computer such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher. I could back this point up as I achieved a Distinction Grade within my ICT course as secondary school meaning the skills I have learned have been applied to my studies within my BTEC Business course.
3: Communication skills is a useful skill that I have obtained through my time at work. As I deal with customers and to help them around the warehouse as well as process specific orders for them, this would be done through face to face interactions or across the phone. By having this strength, communication skills can always be used to help represent myself as a person and that I am always aiming to help others within a working environment.
4: My final strength I have is the ability to learn very quickly what new skills I am shown and told to adapt with in the future. By understanding what new skill I need to implement within my future career, this can help me become a successful manager either within a bank or a business and overall can show clear dedication towards to the job role.
Weaknesses
1: One weakness that I do have is the ability to lose interest and to not pay attention when I am being addressed to. This is a major concern within my development to become a future Bank Manager or Business Manager as if I am not focusing when being taught new information about the job then mistakes would be made and it would fall back on me. This weakness would need to be improved as this is an area of discomfort and this could show my future employers a sign that I am not the right person for the job and that the potential I have within me isn't being used effectively.
2: My second weakness is the ability to work to on my own and that I don't have the confidence to operate when I would require help with the task at hand. This is a very important area that I need to improve as I have the ability to work on my own but if I don't have any self confidence then it would effect the work amount I put in and this could show a bad impression within the working environment.
3: Another weakness is the ability to work under pressure whether it is caused through public speaking to a large crowd or to complete work within a certain time scale and that I have loads more work to do as well as not understand on what work I am completing. The feeling of working under pressure could result in myself not wanting to work within my future job role and that this needs to be improved by either practice any presentation required beforehand so I gather an understanding on what to say to the audience and also to complete work before any deadline like I have been doing through my education and to ask for assistance when necessary.
4: Furthermore, there is also an element within my work ethic which needs improving so that I can complete the work at hand before the deadlines set. Although I am good at meeting deadlines, by not having a high enough work ethic can result in myself struggling to keep up to date with work and that longer days at work are required to complete the work. By completing the assignments early, this can result in more free time for myself and to provide a better feeling for myself within the working environment.
Opportunities
1: One opportunity I may have in the future is the opportunity to attend a course at university. Although I do not plan to attend university as I aim to obtain a job within a bank and to gradually work my up to the top likewise within business management. However, if this doesn't plan out for me, then university if defiantly an option to take within the future as this is a method to help obtain a new future career within a new area that I may become interested in.
2: Another opportunity that I could take is to take up an opportunity to join one of the courses within management with Investment2020 as they provide many management opportunities within many high profile businesses. By completing this, this would help within job interviews and about the experience I have already gathered compared to others looking at the same job as myself.
3: My main opportunity goal is to achieve a job within Bank Management or Business Management so by gathering the experience beforehand, this should help me achieve this. When I finally achieve my target and achieve this, I may have the ability to work abroad within the same region of work to gather some more experience in different Countries which overall makes myself stand out towards overs within the working environment.
4: If I am able to not achieve my set career path and I do not follow my career plan, I would need a fall back option. This would be to choose a course within IT due to the knowledge I have on operating with technology. This could be my second plan if I don't achieve my first one within management due to my knowledge already and this could give me opportunities to work within high profile businesses such as Google or Microsoft.
Threats
1: One threat that I would have if the lack of experience if I do not follow on with the Investment2020 course. This could be a big issue within my future of becoming a Bank Manager or Business Manager as I would be pushed down the list of candidates compared to others who have had the experience within this field so by following on with my career plan would help benefit job opportunities within the UK.
2: Another threat I could have is by not passing my BTEC Business course at Harlow College. This would be a major impact of my future career due to the fact that I didn't complete my course that I was studying for a total of two years. Although I am aiming for a D*D*D* grade within my course and that I am on my way to finishing the course, the lack of motivation near the end could damage my chances of obtaining my future job within the future.
3: The final threat that I may have would be the grade I receive with my business course and also and grade that could have been improved within my time at secondary school that I didn't follow through on in improving. If I obtain a Pass or a Merit grade with my BTEC Business course, this could make others with the same course qualifications as me to have a better chance at getting the job than me and if I didn't follow through more on my English I may have received a higher grade than an A and a C grade.
Overall, the skills that I need to develop in the future are my attention skills, confidence, working under pressure and improving my work ethic. BY improving these aspects will overall help myself achieve a better job with management and that this would help me complete many goals within my career plan like complete my BTEC Business course and to obtain the job that's right for me.
P4: Create SMART targets for my career plan
For this assignment, I will be creating 4 different SMART targets to help me follow my career plan. These will be applied in order to help me obtain different requirements that I would need in order to achieve a job within Bank Management or Business Management. I will create these SMART targets and I will describe and explain how they are achievable, realistic and also if they are achievable within a certain time frame.
Requirement 1: Finish my course at Harlow College and obtain a D*D*D* Grade
Specific: To follow on to achieve my future career plan, I would need to obtain a grade Distinction throughout my entire course by obtaining the D*D*D* grade. This is a specific task that I will need to complete otherwise my career plan of becoming a Bank Manager or Business Manager could be affected by not achieving the highest grade possible. By not achieving a D*D*D* grade within my business course, this would make other people have a better chance of obtaining the job role that I am aiming for, meaning that a distinction grade is required to help myself stand out from others.
Measurable: This task is measured by assessing the current units I have to complete and the length of time I have on completing them. As tasks are given out each lesson, I would aim to complete all these tasks either within the campus of Harlow College or to use my facilities at home in order to complete all the units tom the highest grade possible. By keeping track of all my units, this would result in myself having a better chance of obtaining my target grade and to also meet my SMART target.
Achievable: I wouldn't have chosen this SMART target if I don't believe I am confident to achieve it. By looking at my first nine units I have competed within the first year of my business course, I achieved these at a Distinction grade meaning that this target is achievable if I apply the same amount of work ethic I used to complete the first nine units, into the other nine units I have to complete within my second year. This would overall motivate me to complete all tasks I've been set and to help make this target realistic and within the deadline set on my course.
Realistic: As this target is achievable if I apply the work ethic into all the units, this would be realistic. By comparing the other nine units and that I have already completed, I can go by the basis that I will achieve my SMART target by following the same process I applied within them units. Furthermore, I am currently studying the next nine units of this course so therefore I am on my way to achieving this goal within the deadline and that they are all produced to the highest standard of marking and grade.
Time Scale: Within all courses, there is a deadline for when this work needs to be handed in. For my BTEC Business course, my deadline for all my work to be handed in is on May 22nd 2015. This deadline is set to make us complete all the work within the time scale and to make us hand in all the tasks earlier than most deadlines to allow the moderators to have the opportunity to mark our work and to give it back in order for us to provide improvements were necessary.
Requirement 2: Apply for an Investment2020 course within Management
Specific: Once my BTEC Business Level 3 course is finished, I would have the opportunity to find an Investment2020 program within management and follow on through the 12-18 month course. The main reason for me to choose this course is to gain the experience required to apply for many jobs within banking and business management so this course will help me improve my management abilities and also if I still want to follow on through within the management side within businesses.
Measureable: This would be achievable as Investment2020 is applied to students once they have finished their academic studies and to help them improve within fields that they want to follow on within the future. By gathering the experience required for many job roles, it will help me obtain opportunities within the management side as I would aim to get the opportunity to join the company I was working for within the 12-18 month period by receiving a full time job with them.
Achievable: This SMART target would be achievable due to the grade I receive within my BTEC Business course. By achieving the qualifications from my business course will show a clear sign that I have the aspirations and the work ethic to operate within a management course and also shows an interest within the side of business and management.
Realistic: There is a realistic chance for me to obtain this opportunity following on from my Distinction grade that I aim to achieve within BTEC Business. If I knew that I wasn't going to achieve my target grade, then I wouldn't apply for an opportunity with Investment2020 but as I am aiming for the highest grade possible and also achieving this target, this opportunity is realistic for me to achieve and undertake.
Time Scale: The time scale varies for this SMART target as once I receive my Distinction grade within my Business course, I would have to wait and find the right course when one becomes available and to also then take the course for a total of 12-18 months depending on how long the course is. This could overall take me 6 months to find the right course available to me as well as then take the course for a total of 12-18 months meaning that this could become a 2 year process.
Requirement 3: Apply for a job within banking or business management
Specific: Once completing my Investment2020 management course, I would then start to apply for jobs across the UK and also within my local town Harlow. This target would take some time depending on how easy it is to find a job with the correct criteria I am looking for as well as if I can contact a few of my connection I have made to help me out with finding a job.
Measurable: I would measure the process of this by checking for jobs within the UK and to keep sending out my CV and also my personal statement and to make sure that business employers have seen my skills and what makes me a good worker. I could also record each business that I have applied for and which branch I sent my CV to in order to keep note of when to send then again as well as which other branches I haven't already sent them to.
Achievable: This reason for this to be achievable is that I will need to find a job within the future to help support myself and the costs that I have to pay such as rent, bills etc. By aiming for a job within Bank Management as well as Business Management, this gives me two different areas to focus on my future career and also gives me more of a variety of jobs to try to secure my dream job.
Realistic: The reason for this to be realistic is that I will have the qualifications from my Business course as well as experience within working in management making this more a benefit for my future employer. I would also work within a bank and aim to progress from the inside meaning that I would put my name forward to achieve the attention as well as the potential chance for a promotion by showing what skills and abilities I am capable of preforming.
Time Scale: The time scale that I aim to obtain a job within a business of banking or business management would be approximately one year so that I can still study my options within this area of employment and also find a new area of employment if I decide to change my mind. By providing a clear plan of when to achieve my future job, I can follow it effectively and go on the basis of visiting job centres as well as interviews to help increase my chances of getting my future career placement.
Requirement 4: Obtain the role of Bank Manager or Business Manager
Specific: The reason for this SMART target is to ensure myself that I achieve the role of manager within a bank or business and that I have achieved my designated career plan that I have set myself. This will also help me with the experience I have gained meaning that I can follow this SMART target by showing how to apply my experience within the role as branch manager or business manager.
Measurable: This will be measured due to the qualifications I have either through my GCSE's as well as my BTEC Business course grade and also comparing the amount of experience I have gathered. This will benefit myself as by applying these qualifications that I have will help me in the future to identify different sectors within management I can apply for within the future.
Achievable: The whole purpose of obtaining a job role as Manager would be achieved through the experience I have obtained as well as the grades I have received within my studies. By following on from my experience course with Investment2020, this will give me a good chance of obtaining a job within Bank Management making my future career goal achievable within the future.
Realistic: If I wasn't able to complete my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 to a Distinction grade, then I wouldn't be able to get a course within Investment2020 within management so therefore by following on from my previous SMART targets and achieving them, this would make this target realistic as I have gained the experience as well as the grades to show that I am capable of learning and becoming a Manager within the future.
Time Scale: To achieve this, I would need to obtain my experience within management, get a Distinction grade within my college course and to find a job within bank or business management by the end of 2020. This gives me enough time to meet all of my SMART targets as well as get the job that I have been aiming for over these few years and to receive challenges within the job and how I can benefit the business I would be working for.
Requirement 1: Finish my course at Harlow College and obtain a D*D*D* Grade
Specific: To follow on to achieve my future career plan, I would need to obtain a grade Distinction throughout my entire course by obtaining the D*D*D* grade. This is a specific task that I will need to complete otherwise my career plan of becoming a Bank Manager or Business Manager could be affected by not achieving the highest grade possible. By not achieving a D*D*D* grade within my business course, this would make other people have a better chance of obtaining the job role that I am aiming for, meaning that a distinction grade is required to help myself stand out from others.
Measurable: This task is measured by assessing the current units I have to complete and the length of time I have on completing them. As tasks are given out each lesson, I would aim to complete all these tasks either within the campus of Harlow College or to use my facilities at home in order to complete all the units tom the highest grade possible. By keeping track of all my units, this would result in myself having a better chance of obtaining my target grade and to also meet my SMART target.
Achievable: I wouldn't have chosen this SMART target if I don't believe I am confident to achieve it. By looking at my first nine units I have competed within the first year of my business course, I achieved these at a Distinction grade meaning that this target is achievable if I apply the same amount of work ethic I used to complete the first nine units, into the other nine units I have to complete within my second year. This would overall motivate me to complete all tasks I've been set and to help make this target realistic and within the deadline set on my course.
Realistic: As this target is achievable if I apply the work ethic into all the units, this would be realistic. By comparing the other nine units and that I have already completed, I can go by the basis that I will achieve my SMART target by following the same process I applied within them units. Furthermore, I am currently studying the next nine units of this course so therefore I am on my way to achieving this goal within the deadline and that they are all produced to the highest standard of marking and grade.
Time Scale: Within all courses, there is a deadline for when this work needs to be handed in. For my BTEC Business course, my deadline for all my work to be handed in is on May 22nd 2015. This deadline is set to make us complete all the work within the time scale and to make us hand in all the tasks earlier than most deadlines to allow the moderators to have the opportunity to mark our work and to give it back in order for us to provide improvements were necessary.
Requirement 2: Apply for an Investment2020 course within Management
Specific: Once my BTEC Business Level 3 course is finished, I would have the opportunity to find an Investment2020 program within management and follow on through the 12-18 month course. The main reason for me to choose this course is to gain the experience required to apply for many jobs within banking and business management so this course will help me improve my management abilities and also if I still want to follow on through within the management side within businesses.
Measureable: This would be achievable as Investment2020 is applied to students once they have finished their academic studies and to help them improve within fields that they want to follow on within the future. By gathering the experience required for many job roles, it will help me obtain opportunities within the management side as I would aim to get the opportunity to join the company I was working for within the 12-18 month period by receiving a full time job with them.
Achievable: This SMART target would be achievable due to the grade I receive within my BTEC Business course. By achieving the qualifications from my business course will show a clear sign that I have the aspirations and the work ethic to operate within a management course and also shows an interest within the side of business and management.
Realistic: There is a realistic chance for me to obtain this opportunity following on from my Distinction grade that I aim to achieve within BTEC Business. If I knew that I wasn't going to achieve my target grade, then I wouldn't apply for an opportunity with Investment2020 but as I am aiming for the highest grade possible and also achieving this target, this opportunity is realistic for me to achieve and undertake.
Time Scale: The time scale varies for this SMART target as once I receive my Distinction grade within my Business course, I would have to wait and find the right course when one becomes available and to also then take the course for a total of 12-18 months depending on how long the course is. This could overall take me 6 months to find the right course available to me as well as then take the course for a total of 12-18 months meaning that this could become a 2 year process.
Requirement 3: Apply for a job within banking or business management
Specific: Once completing my Investment2020 management course, I would then start to apply for jobs across the UK and also within my local town Harlow. This target would take some time depending on how easy it is to find a job with the correct criteria I am looking for as well as if I can contact a few of my connection I have made to help me out with finding a job.
Measurable: I would measure the process of this by checking for jobs within the UK and to keep sending out my CV and also my personal statement and to make sure that business employers have seen my skills and what makes me a good worker. I could also record each business that I have applied for and which branch I sent my CV to in order to keep note of when to send then again as well as which other branches I haven't already sent them to.
Achievable: This reason for this to be achievable is that I will need to find a job within the future to help support myself and the costs that I have to pay such as rent, bills etc. By aiming for a job within Bank Management as well as Business Management, this gives me two different areas to focus on my future career and also gives me more of a variety of jobs to try to secure my dream job.
Realistic: The reason for this to be realistic is that I will have the qualifications from my Business course as well as experience within working in management making this more a benefit for my future employer. I would also work within a bank and aim to progress from the inside meaning that I would put my name forward to achieve the attention as well as the potential chance for a promotion by showing what skills and abilities I am capable of preforming.
Time Scale: The time scale that I aim to obtain a job within a business of banking or business management would be approximately one year so that I can still study my options within this area of employment and also find a new area of employment if I decide to change my mind. By providing a clear plan of when to achieve my future job, I can follow it effectively and go on the basis of visiting job centres as well as interviews to help increase my chances of getting my future career placement.
Requirement 4: Obtain the role of Bank Manager or Business Manager
Specific: The reason for this SMART target is to ensure myself that I achieve the role of manager within a bank or business and that I have achieved my designated career plan that I have set myself. This will also help me with the experience I have gained meaning that I can follow this SMART target by showing how to apply my experience within the role as branch manager or business manager.
Measurable: This will be measured due to the qualifications I have either through my GCSE's as well as my BTEC Business course grade and also comparing the amount of experience I have gathered. This will benefit myself as by applying these qualifications that I have will help me in the future to identify different sectors within management I can apply for within the future.
Achievable: The whole purpose of obtaining a job role as Manager would be achieved through the experience I have obtained as well as the grades I have received within my studies. By following on from my experience course with Investment2020, this will give me a good chance of obtaining a job within Bank Management making my future career goal achievable within the future.
Realistic: If I wasn't able to complete my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 to a Distinction grade, then I wouldn't be able to get a course within Investment2020 within management so therefore by following on from my previous SMART targets and achieving them, this would make this target realistic as I have gained the experience as well as the grades to show that I am capable of learning and becoming a Manager within the future.
Time Scale: To achieve this, I would need to obtain my experience within management, get a Distinction grade within my college course and to find a job within bank or business management by the end of 2020. This gives me enough time to meet all of my SMART targets as well as get the job that I have been aiming for over these few years and to receive challenges within the job and how I can benefit the business I would be working for.
M2: Monitor and audit progress towards targets using appropriate success criteria.
For this report, I am going to monitor my progression on how well I am achieving my SMART targets and how well I am progressing towards them. I will also explain on how I can improve my four SMART targets while at Harlow College to give me a preparation once I have finished my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 to my target grade of Distinction (D*D*D*).
Requirement 1: Finish my course at Harlow College and obtain a D*D*D* Grade
My first target was to make sure that I achieve a D*D*D* Grade within my two year business course at Harlow College. Without this course, I would not be in a good position to fulfil my future career as a Bank Manager or Business Manager as I won't have any qualification to show my knowledge within this field of work. To show how well I have monitored this course throughout my time, I have achieved a total of nine Distinction grade units within the first year of my studies. This clearly shows my enthusiasm as well as clear organisational skills to get my tasks done on time as well as shows that I am on track to get my target grade. Also, the work I have had to hand in to get marked would have to be of a high standard to ensure the fact that I receive a Distinction grade and not a Pass grade. Due to this progression, I am meeting my SMART target and also aiming to hand in all eighteen units within the deadline on 22nd May 2015. By having this deadline in mind, this clearly helps me plan out my working schedule and what tasks to complete within a certain time frame to ensure that all my work is handed in or before this deadline. By allowing time for teachers to mark all the work from each student, by assessing the situations means that I am on track to completing my Business course as well as meeting my SMART target.
Requirement 2: Apply for an Investment2020 course within Management
Once I have finished my Business course at Harlow College, I would have the opportunity to follow up my opportunity to join an Investment2020 course within management. By starting to scan the website for many management courses beforehand, this gives me the chance to check which courses are best suited for my needs as well as what deadlines the registrations are on these courses. By completing my course at Harlow College as well as show an interest within the business and management industry, this would help me obtain a management course with Investment2020 and to show them that I am a valued asset for the team. To help meet this SMART target, I would need to focus a lot more on my studies and tasks at hand and to remove any distraction that may be a cause of concern. By doing this, this would help me meet my targets that have been set on some of my assignments and to help me meet my second years worth of another nine units to Distinction Grade. By following on from Harlow College and by showing an interest within the management courses offered by Investment2020, this will help me obtain the course I am looking for and to take the opportunity to work within a business for a 12-18 month management course.
Requirement 3: Apply for a job within banking or business management
To follow on from my third SMART target, I would need to make sure I start applying for many job applications within banking or business management to make sure that I follow my SMART targets as well as achieve a starting point within my future career plan. By the time that I am applying for a job within these two sectors, I would have achieved my first two SMART targets that were to get D*D*D* Grade within by Business Course at Harlow College and to obtain a management program within Investment2020. If I achieve these two SMART targets, this would help myself on obtaining a job due to the clear focus and effort I have put in to make this opportunity possible. By the end of July 2015, I would have achieved my Distinction Grade within Business and that I have the qualification and education to help adapt my further career within business management. I would aim to have a job within a bank or business management within 2017-2018 depending on the length of my Investment2020 course and that by aiming to follow on from my first two SMART targets, this shows my ambition I have towards fulfilling my career plan that I have set myself to achieve in the future. What I could do in Harlow College throughout my course is to start researching many different banks and businesses and what management roles and positions they have to complete in order to become successful within the future.
Requirement 4: Obtain the role of Bank Manager or Business Manager
Finally, for my final SMART target, I would aim to have fulfilled my job role as a Bank or Business Manager. By focusing on how to achieve this as well as putting in the effort to make this happen, I should achieve this within my 5 year career plan and aim to become a Bank or Business Manager within the year 2020. By having my Business course at grade Distinction as well as the experience from my Investment2020 course, I should be able to hit this target and fully complete all my four SMART targets. As I aim to work hard within my time I am working in employment, I would aim to make myself stand out and to show my employers how much of an asset I can be for them and to apply for any job vacancies that emerge to help promote my current position within the business to make my way up to meet my target. Although this would be many years after my time at Harlow College, I could use that time within my course to study the progression on employers within many businesses and what they do to achieve a better job role and salary within the company. Within my time at Harlow College, it is very important for me to look at if this career path is right for me so by focusing on all my SMART targets, this can result in a beneficial future for myself if I stick to my targets I have set out.
To summarise, by following my four SMART targets and by assessing them throughout my progression can result in better opportunities for myself and to help me keep on track of when to complete these tasks to achieve my chosen career path. With the GCSE's, qualification and experience I have gained throughout my education can make this career path possible and that it shows my personal character and what I am willing to do to achieve this and to show my interest in what I need to do in order to succeed within management.
Requirement 1: Finish my course at Harlow College and obtain a D*D*D* Grade
My first target was to make sure that I achieve a D*D*D* Grade within my two year business course at Harlow College. Without this course, I would not be in a good position to fulfil my future career as a Bank Manager or Business Manager as I won't have any qualification to show my knowledge within this field of work. To show how well I have monitored this course throughout my time, I have achieved a total of nine Distinction grade units within the first year of my studies. This clearly shows my enthusiasm as well as clear organisational skills to get my tasks done on time as well as shows that I am on track to get my target grade. Also, the work I have had to hand in to get marked would have to be of a high standard to ensure the fact that I receive a Distinction grade and not a Pass grade. Due to this progression, I am meeting my SMART target and also aiming to hand in all eighteen units within the deadline on 22nd May 2015. By having this deadline in mind, this clearly helps me plan out my working schedule and what tasks to complete within a certain time frame to ensure that all my work is handed in or before this deadline. By allowing time for teachers to mark all the work from each student, by assessing the situations means that I am on track to completing my Business course as well as meeting my SMART target.
Requirement 2: Apply for an Investment2020 course within Management
Once I have finished my Business course at Harlow College, I would have the opportunity to follow up my opportunity to join an Investment2020 course within management. By starting to scan the website for many management courses beforehand, this gives me the chance to check which courses are best suited for my needs as well as what deadlines the registrations are on these courses. By completing my course at Harlow College as well as show an interest within the business and management industry, this would help me obtain a management course with Investment2020 and to show them that I am a valued asset for the team. To help meet this SMART target, I would need to focus a lot more on my studies and tasks at hand and to remove any distraction that may be a cause of concern. By doing this, this would help me meet my targets that have been set on some of my assignments and to help me meet my second years worth of another nine units to Distinction Grade. By following on from Harlow College and by showing an interest within the management courses offered by Investment2020, this will help me obtain the course I am looking for and to take the opportunity to work within a business for a 12-18 month management course.
Requirement 3: Apply for a job within banking or business management
To follow on from my third SMART target, I would need to make sure I start applying for many job applications within banking or business management to make sure that I follow my SMART targets as well as achieve a starting point within my future career plan. By the time that I am applying for a job within these two sectors, I would have achieved my first two SMART targets that were to get D*D*D* Grade within by Business Course at Harlow College and to obtain a management program within Investment2020. If I achieve these two SMART targets, this would help myself on obtaining a job due to the clear focus and effort I have put in to make this opportunity possible. By the end of July 2015, I would have achieved my Distinction Grade within Business and that I have the qualification and education to help adapt my further career within business management. I would aim to have a job within a bank or business management within 2017-2018 depending on the length of my Investment2020 course and that by aiming to follow on from my first two SMART targets, this shows my ambition I have towards fulfilling my career plan that I have set myself to achieve in the future. What I could do in Harlow College throughout my course is to start researching many different banks and businesses and what management roles and positions they have to complete in order to become successful within the future.
Requirement 4: Obtain the role of Bank Manager or Business Manager
Finally, for my final SMART target, I would aim to have fulfilled my job role as a Bank or Business Manager. By focusing on how to achieve this as well as putting in the effort to make this happen, I should achieve this within my 5 year career plan and aim to become a Bank or Business Manager within the year 2020. By having my Business course at grade Distinction as well as the experience from my Investment2020 course, I should be able to hit this target and fully complete all my four SMART targets. As I aim to work hard within my time I am working in employment, I would aim to make myself stand out and to show my employers how much of an asset I can be for them and to apply for any job vacancies that emerge to help promote my current position within the business to make my way up to meet my target. Although this would be many years after my time at Harlow College, I could use that time within my course to study the progression on employers within many businesses and what they do to achieve a better job role and salary within the company. Within my time at Harlow College, it is very important for me to look at if this career path is right for me so by focusing on all my SMART targets, this can result in a beneficial future for myself if I stick to my targets I have set out.
To summarise, by following my four SMART targets and by assessing them throughout my progression can result in better opportunities for myself and to help me keep on track of when to complete these tasks to achieve my chosen career path. With the GCSE's, qualification and experience I have gained throughout my education can make this career path possible and that it shows my personal character and what I am willing to do to achieve this and to show my interest in what I need to do in order to succeed within management.
P5: Demonstrate transferable business skills
I am going to be demonstrating ways in which I have achieved many transferable business skills and I will be proving evidence of this by showing my overall progression within the tracking grid use to mark all students work. The six transferable skills that I will be demonstrating are IT Skills, Teamwork Skills, Report Writing Skills, Meeting Deadlines, Presentation Skills and Working Individually with the tasks at hand. I will also be providing evidence on what task I used to meet this business skills through the use of a image on the task and which unit this assignment was in.
IT skills
Throughout my Business course within Harlow College, I have had to adapt to the principles of using technology such as computers, laptops, iPads and technological programs in order to complete and format my work for each unit within my course. I have developed this skill by using different programs to help produce my work such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and more. I have had to adapt to these skills in order to complete any given assignment for each unit. One task that required myself to use Microsoft Excel was for Unit 5 P3 which was a spread sheet showing the costing's within the business example and how to layout the table in a professional manor.
IT skills
Throughout my Business course within Harlow College, I have had to adapt to the principles of using technology such as computers, laptops, iPads and technological programs in order to complete and format my work for each unit within my course. I have developed this skill by using different programs to help produce my work such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and more. I have had to adapt to these skills in order to complete any given assignment for each unit. One task that required myself to use Microsoft Excel was for Unit 5 P3 which was a spread sheet showing the costing's within the business example and how to layout the table in a professional manor.
Teamwork Skills
Throughout my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 course, I have had to adapt to the fact that some tasks within education and also working within businesses needs to be done as a team to help share ideas as well as their opinions on the task at hand and this can make tasks completed earlier as well as easier. Within my Business course, I have had work within a team to complete a task within Unit 9 which was task P1. Within this task, I had to complete this assignment with a friend and we had to present our presentation afterwards towards our fellow students. By both myself and my friend contributing towards the task at hand, we were able to complete this assignment very easily and quickly due to how we allocated each task between us and that all research was carried out between us and done effectively. Below is an image of the assignment we undertook as a team and what the task entails which resulted in us completing a 17 slide PowerPoint for this assignment.
Throughout my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 course, I have had to adapt to the fact that some tasks within education and also working within businesses needs to be done as a team to help share ideas as well as their opinions on the task at hand and this can make tasks completed earlier as well as easier. Within my Business course, I have had work within a team to complete a task within Unit 9 which was task P1. Within this task, I had to complete this assignment with a friend and we had to present our presentation afterwards towards our fellow students. By both myself and my friend contributing towards the task at hand, we were able to complete this assignment very easily and quickly due to how we allocated each task between us and that all research was carried out between us and done effectively. Below is an image of the assignment we undertook as a team and what the task entails which resulted in us completing a 17 slide PowerPoint for this assignment.
Report Writing Skills
Throughout my time at Harlow College, most of the assignments I have been given will be produced in the form of a report meaning I have adapted the skill of writing and producing reports on a regular basis to meet deadlines. These reports are produced through Microsoft Word by using a document setting to produce the report, which proves I have adapted to using technology while on this course. An example of one of my reports was Unit 13 D2 which was based on the recruitment unit we undertook within the Business course. This task involved how well I personally thought about the unit and what skills I could use in the future to help within job recruitment as well as future career plans. The example below is the report produced for Unit 13 D2.
Throughout my time at Harlow College, most of the assignments I have been given will be produced in the form of a report meaning I have adapted the skill of writing and producing reports on a regular basis to meet deadlines. These reports are produced through Microsoft Word by using a document setting to produce the report, which proves I have adapted to using technology while on this course. An example of one of my reports was Unit 13 D2 which was based on the recruitment unit we undertook within the Business course. This task involved how well I personally thought about the unit and what skills I could use in the future to help within job recruitment as well as future career plans. The example below is the report produced for Unit 13 D2.
Meeting Deadlines
The whole point of achieving the highest grade possible within my Business course is to make sure that all tasks are handed in on time and that I don't start to fall behind with my assignments resulting in too much work to be done. I have developed on this skill since secondary school as we didn't have many deadlines to follow through with other than homework so adapting to this skill was a new thing that I had to learn. As it is important to meet deadlines, this shows how well you operate with your schedule and that you are easily reliable when completing your work quickly and effectively. One unit that had to be followed through with deadlines was Unit 32 and one of the tasks that required a deadline was my learning outcome two which was P3, D1. As you can see from the image below, it shows when the deadline is set and that I handed in my task a total of nine days earlier proving that I can meet deadlines and I can apply this work ethic in the future. This task was produced and sent to my teacher through the app on my iPad called Showbie which is one of the programs we have been using to help send in our work.
The whole point of achieving the highest grade possible within my Business course is to make sure that all tasks are handed in on time and that I don't start to fall behind with my assignments resulting in too much work to be done. I have developed on this skill since secondary school as we didn't have many deadlines to follow through with other than homework so adapting to this skill was a new thing that I had to learn. As it is important to meet deadlines, this shows how well you operate with your schedule and that you are easily reliable when completing your work quickly and effectively. One unit that had to be followed through with deadlines was Unit 32 and one of the tasks that required a deadline was my learning outcome two which was P3, D1. As you can see from the image below, it shows when the deadline is set and that I handed in my task a total of nine days earlier proving that I can meet deadlines and I can apply this work ethic in the future. This task was produced and sent to my teacher through the app on my iPad called Showbie which is one of the programs we have been using to help send in our work.
Presentation Skills
Throughout my two years at Harlow College studying business, I have had to complete many tasks that involved presentations to be done. These were done either by myself or within a team of people that helped produce the assignment with me. This involves myself and my team members to present the task that we undertook towards our fellow peers as well as teachers in order to get a pass on our assignment. One assignment that involved myself as well as a few team members to present an assignment towards the rest of my group was Unit 28 P1, M1. This task meant that myself as well as two other members of my team had to present our findings about different businesses and how they laid out their stores effectively. Below is an image of the PowerPoint we made and what the criteria we needed to produce was for and how many slides we presented to our peers and teachers.
Throughout my two years at Harlow College studying business, I have had to complete many tasks that involved presentations to be done. These were done either by myself or within a team of people that helped produce the assignment with me. This involves myself and my team members to present the task that we undertook towards our fellow peers as well as teachers in order to get a pass on our assignment. One assignment that involved myself as well as a few team members to present an assignment towards the rest of my group was Unit 28 P1, M1. This task meant that myself as well as two other members of my team had to present our findings about different businesses and how they laid out their stores effectively. Below is an image of the PowerPoint we made and what the criteria we needed to produce was for and how many slides we presented to our peers and teachers.
Working Individually
The final skill that I have demonstrated within my entire two year course is the ability to work on my own independently as most tasks require you to create and produce the task at hand only by you. This allows myself to put in a lot of effort for each task at hand as I would have the time to complete all these within the deadlines set for them. This allows myself to put in my knowledge of the task within the assignment and that my work is produced by me and no one else. This also means that some units are based around myself and that all the work produced will be similar to others showing a contrast between the work that I produced by myself. Without working individually, I wouldn't have been able to complete all of my first nine units within my business course to a Distinction level as the education board wouldn't allow it if I worked with others throughout the entire course. The image below is of a tracking grid which overall shows myself as well as my peers their grades they achieved within he first year and this provides evidence that I have completed all the tasks within my first year of my course and that each skill I have identified has been met due to the grade I have achieved within each unit as I wouldn't be able to obtain and demonstrate these skills without proof that I completed all these units from my first year.
The final skill that I have demonstrated within my entire two year course is the ability to work on my own independently as most tasks require you to create and produce the task at hand only by you. This allows myself to put in a lot of effort for each task at hand as I would have the time to complete all these within the deadlines set for them. This allows myself to put in my knowledge of the task within the assignment and that my work is produced by me and no one else. This also means that some units are based around myself and that all the work produced will be similar to others showing a contrast between the work that I produced by myself. Without working individually, I wouldn't have been able to complete all of my first nine units within my business course to a Distinction level as the education board wouldn't allow it if I worked with others throughout the entire course. The image below is of a tracking grid which overall shows myself as well as my peers their grades they achieved within he first year and this provides evidence that I have completed all the tasks within my first year of my course and that each skill I have identified has been met due to the grade I have achieved within each unit as I wouldn't be able to obtain and demonstrate these skills without proof that I completed all these units from my first year.
M3: Assess ways of achieving the level and types of transferable business skills needed for the career plan.
After showing six different transferable business skills, I am going to assess how I can develop these skills that I already have obtained. The six skills I will be assessing are IT Skills, Teamwork Skills, Report Writing Skills, Meeting Deadlines, Presentation Skills and the ability to Work Individually. I will be assessing the current level I am at with each of these skills and what level I would need to improve them to in order to become successful within my future career as a Bank Manager or Business Manager and also how effective they will be by transferring them other from my BTEC Business Level 3 course and applying them within the work place.
IT Skills
Throughout my BTEC Business course within Harlow College, I have had to develop on my skills to produce my assignments in many different formats meaning that my IT skills had to be improved. As in achieved a Distinction Grade within ICT at secondary school, I do have a wide range of knowledge already on most technological programs run on a computer meaning that this skill is quite useful to me to use within college as well as within a working environment. I believe I have developed this skill to the highest standard as I am capable of making reports, presentations, spread sheets and others like databases to the best of my ability.
Transferring this over to a working environment can mean that I can complete many tasks with the programs that they operate with and that I would need little training to meet deadlines with some of the tasks I have been given. By showing an interest within the working environment as a Bank Manager or Business Manager can mean I have the ability to help others through technology and therefore means that I have a high enough level of IT knowledge that I can apply for any business.
Teamwork Skills
Within the first day at Harlow College on my Business course, we were put into groups and was asked to complete a teamwork assignment to show the ability to cooperate with others. This skill needed to be improved as I felt nervous upon my first visit at Harlow College and also being put into a group of people I didn't know didn't help me with my confidence as well as my cooperation as a team. This was due to the fact that I couldn't get a chance to express my opinions due to the lack of confidence but throughout the course I have gained much more confidence than I originally hoped I would obtain.
Teamwork Skills would always be useful wherever you go and I will able to apply this skill whether on my Investment2020 course or working within Management. By working in teams can mean that tasks can get completed both quicker and better as more minds are put together in order to achieve something. By applying this within a working environment can mean I can work with others from all backgrounds and that I can address my concerns and opinions easier than before to help benefit the group.
Report Writing Skills
Most assignments within my coursework needed to be operated and produced within a report format, meaning that I have a wide range of knowledge on this skill already as I have been producing coursework for nearly two years. Working within Harlow College has helped me improve my report writing skills and that I can write up all my assignments to the best standard in order to make sure they pass for me to complete this unit. This therefore means that I can transfer this skill over when I am on my management course as well as within a working environment.
I believe that I have developed this skill to the highest standard due to all of the work I have produced overtime within Harlow College. Although there will be areas that I do not know when completing reports so by researching different methods can help me complete assignments in a different format than before. By applying this within a working environment, I am able to write out any needs that are reflected on the business to other companies in a professional fashion and in a correct format.
Meeting Deadlines
This is one skill that will be applied to myself throughout my life whether or not its in education or within a business environment. Meeting deadlines are crucial to showing the ability that you can work at and that you are reliable when completing your work to the best standard and most importantly, on time. By having all of my assignments have a deadline date set on it, this makes me need to produce the best piece of content for my teachers in order to succeed within my Business course and this would apply within a working environment.
This skill will be transferred to a working environment once I leave Harlow College as tasks will be set and needed to be done within the day. By showing and demonstrating the ability to complete tasks within set deadlines can mean that I have a good work ethic within the business environment. I do believe that I have maintained this skill to the highest standard but I could use a bit more planning in order to make sure that I do not complete the assignment within the closing stages so by planning more effectively and sticking by them can mean that I finish the task more quicker than the set deadline making it easier on myself.
Presentation Skills
My presentation skills are something that I have had to use throughout my education whether it was at school or within Harlow College. I have developed this skill a lot since the first year of my Business course due to all of the presentations we had to conduct and complete. Although, when we completed our first assignment which was a presentation, I was very nervous and that when performing the presentation, I didn't like how I completed the assignment. This was due to the lack of confidence I had when reading out my notes and that I relied more on my class mates to complete the task for me. This is not a good sign as within a working environment, I would not be useful for a business if I cannot produce a presentation by myself and present it by myself meaning that I would need to develop this skill to a higher level than I already have making me a better worker in the future.
This is a skill that will transfer over from education to a working environment but I would need to improve this skill a lot more to help me obtain a job within Management. As I have a low level of presentation skills, I will need to develop on my confidence as well as public speaking to make sure I have a better chance at obtaining a job within my career path as this would affect my interview skills also. This skill has been improved overtime by completing many presentations overtime and that my public speaking skills has been improved within each presentation. I have also adapted to use cue cards in order to have notes handy during the speech meaning I can cross reference anything I may have missed. By doing this overtime, I have helped myself gained more skills within presenting but I still have some areas of improvement.
Working Individually
My final skill of working individually is at a high enough level to use within a working environment as this shows I have the ability to work on my own to complete tasks set out for me when I understand what I am completing. If I been set an assignment that I have full confidence of what I am doing and that I understand it fully, I wouldn't have any trouble completing it and that this shows a good positive attitude towards my work as this lets me get to work and complete it within my own time. By being able to demonstrate this skill throughout my entire two year business course, this shows that I am at a high enough level to complete most tasks on my own and within my own time making me a reliable worker within a business.
By transferring this skill over to a business environment, this would mean that I can complete many assignments given to me and that I can transfer this skill over once I leave college. This skill would not require any improvements other than if I don't understand the assignment given to me so therefore I would need to be taught what I need to do and that then I can go off by my own to complete the assignment set to me. Once this improvement is done and that I know a great range of knowledge within the business environment, I would be at the highest peak of working individually meaning that all tasks will be done to the best standard that I am capable of.
IT Skills
Throughout my BTEC Business course within Harlow College, I have had to develop on my skills to produce my assignments in many different formats meaning that my IT skills had to be improved. As in achieved a Distinction Grade within ICT at secondary school, I do have a wide range of knowledge already on most technological programs run on a computer meaning that this skill is quite useful to me to use within college as well as within a working environment. I believe I have developed this skill to the highest standard as I am capable of making reports, presentations, spread sheets and others like databases to the best of my ability.
Transferring this over to a working environment can mean that I can complete many tasks with the programs that they operate with and that I would need little training to meet deadlines with some of the tasks I have been given. By showing an interest within the working environment as a Bank Manager or Business Manager can mean I have the ability to help others through technology and therefore means that I have a high enough level of IT knowledge that I can apply for any business.
Teamwork Skills
Within the first day at Harlow College on my Business course, we were put into groups and was asked to complete a teamwork assignment to show the ability to cooperate with others. This skill needed to be improved as I felt nervous upon my first visit at Harlow College and also being put into a group of people I didn't know didn't help me with my confidence as well as my cooperation as a team. This was due to the fact that I couldn't get a chance to express my opinions due to the lack of confidence but throughout the course I have gained much more confidence than I originally hoped I would obtain.
Teamwork Skills would always be useful wherever you go and I will able to apply this skill whether on my Investment2020 course or working within Management. By working in teams can mean that tasks can get completed both quicker and better as more minds are put together in order to achieve something. By applying this within a working environment can mean I can work with others from all backgrounds and that I can address my concerns and opinions easier than before to help benefit the group.
Report Writing Skills
Most assignments within my coursework needed to be operated and produced within a report format, meaning that I have a wide range of knowledge on this skill already as I have been producing coursework for nearly two years. Working within Harlow College has helped me improve my report writing skills and that I can write up all my assignments to the best standard in order to make sure they pass for me to complete this unit. This therefore means that I can transfer this skill over when I am on my management course as well as within a working environment.
I believe that I have developed this skill to the highest standard due to all of the work I have produced overtime within Harlow College. Although there will be areas that I do not know when completing reports so by researching different methods can help me complete assignments in a different format than before. By applying this within a working environment, I am able to write out any needs that are reflected on the business to other companies in a professional fashion and in a correct format.
Meeting Deadlines
This is one skill that will be applied to myself throughout my life whether or not its in education or within a business environment. Meeting deadlines are crucial to showing the ability that you can work at and that you are reliable when completing your work to the best standard and most importantly, on time. By having all of my assignments have a deadline date set on it, this makes me need to produce the best piece of content for my teachers in order to succeed within my Business course and this would apply within a working environment.
This skill will be transferred to a working environment once I leave Harlow College as tasks will be set and needed to be done within the day. By showing and demonstrating the ability to complete tasks within set deadlines can mean that I have a good work ethic within the business environment. I do believe that I have maintained this skill to the highest standard but I could use a bit more planning in order to make sure that I do not complete the assignment within the closing stages so by planning more effectively and sticking by them can mean that I finish the task more quicker than the set deadline making it easier on myself.
Presentation Skills
My presentation skills are something that I have had to use throughout my education whether it was at school or within Harlow College. I have developed this skill a lot since the first year of my Business course due to all of the presentations we had to conduct and complete. Although, when we completed our first assignment which was a presentation, I was very nervous and that when performing the presentation, I didn't like how I completed the assignment. This was due to the lack of confidence I had when reading out my notes and that I relied more on my class mates to complete the task for me. This is not a good sign as within a working environment, I would not be useful for a business if I cannot produce a presentation by myself and present it by myself meaning that I would need to develop this skill to a higher level than I already have making me a better worker in the future.
This is a skill that will transfer over from education to a working environment but I would need to improve this skill a lot more to help me obtain a job within Management. As I have a low level of presentation skills, I will need to develop on my confidence as well as public speaking to make sure I have a better chance at obtaining a job within my career path as this would affect my interview skills also. This skill has been improved overtime by completing many presentations overtime and that my public speaking skills has been improved within each presentation. I have also adapted to use cue cards in order to have notes handy during the speech meaning I can cross reference anything I may have missed. By doing this overtime, I have helped myself gained more skills within presenting but I still have some areas of improvement.
Working Individually
My final skill of working individually is at a high enough level to use within a working environment as this shows I have the ability to work on my own to complete tasks set out for me when I understand what I am completing. If I been set an assignment that I have full confidence of what I am doing and that I understand it fully, I wouldn't have any trouble completing it and that this shows a good positive attitude towards my work as this lets me get to work and complete it within my own time. By being able to demonstrate this skill throughout my entire two year business course, this shows that I am at a high enough level to complete most tasks on my own and within my own time making me a reliable worker within a business.
By transferring this skill over to a business environment, this would mean that I can complete many assignments given to me and that I can transfer this skill over once I leave college. This skill would not require any improvements other than if I don't understand the assignment given to me so therefore I would need to be taught what I need to do and that then I can go off by my own to complete the assignment set to me. Once this improvement is done and that I know a great range of knowledge within the business environment, I would be at the highest peak of working individually meaning that all tasks will be done to the best standard that I am capable of.
D2: Evaluate own development of transferable business skills.
Relating to the six skills I have chosen, I will now be evaluating how I can improve each of these skills any further or if I can't, how I achieved these skills to the highest standard. The six skills I will be evaluating are IT Skills, Teamwork Skills, Report Writing Skills, Meeting Deadlines, Presentation Skills and the ability to Work Individually. I will provide reasoning on what needs to be done to improve these skills or what methods I used to help myself maintain these skills at the highest possible standard.
IT Skills
Throughout the course of my education, I have been required to show an understanding with IT Skills and that I know what little functions can do to help benefit my work that I produce on the computers, laptops, iPads etc. I believe that this skill is quite important within my learning and that I am able to use this skill effectively within all assignments given to me. This has been achieved by trying out new techniques within my learning such as trial and error so that all aspects within a program such as Microsoft Word has been tried in order to memorise each function and what they do to help benefit my work. However, there are still areas of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher that I haven't tried meaning that there are still areas of improvement but I believe that I have tested most aspects as well as the most important ones making me feel confident with my technological abilities.
Teamwork Skills
Teamwork Skills operate effectively within education as well as a working environment meaning that this skill needs to be developed effectively if this is not high enough for an individual. I believe that my teamwork skills are quite high standard as I have the ability to interact with others and to share my issues and concerns meaning I can be a influential member of the team. This skill affects the way I interact with others within a team as this could the standard of communication could be affected by the team I am working with. If I am working with complete strangers to me, this will affect my teamwork skills as I wouldn't know how well they would operate with some methods I put forwards compared to working in a team that I fully know meaning my teamwork skills will change depending on the team I am in. This could be improved by providing my opinions forward straight away so that I get to see how everyone responds to my actions and if so, maybe take control of the group to make sure our opinions are the same.
Report Writing Skills
By producing reports within Harlow College, I have been able to produce a lot of my coursework through using a report style format and that all tasks that I have used as a report format has passed and made me achieve a Distinction Grade within all of the first nine units I undertook. Report Writing is essential for me to complete my assignments within a professional manner so therefore by using this skill very often can mean that I have developed this skill to the highest standard that I can achieve. This was achieved through the use of completing all assignments given to me throughout my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 course at Harlow College and that by using different formats of report writing can mean I can chose the best style that suits the task at hand to show my professionalism within the college and this could be applied towards a business environment.
Meeting Deadlines
Meeting Deadlines is one skill that I believe I have fully achieved the highest level of standard in. This is due to all the assignments I have been given and that all of them have been completed before all the deadlines or on the days they are due in on. This is a very important skill that I believe I have achieved the highest standard in and that their is no area for improvement required for this skill. This is achieved through the use of setting up schedules to help myself meet the deadline so by planning when to either start my assignment or whether to complete the assignment, I would follow the schedule I have set myself and that I follow it through making the work completed earlier than the deadline to prevent the chance of overloaded work. This makes me have more spare time once the tasks are completed as by doing them early can make myself complete other tasks earlier as well meaning I wont struggle with the completion of some of my units within my Business course.
Presentation Skills
Being at Harlow College has meant that I have had to perform many presentations making me use my presentation skills a lot more often than when I was in secondary school. However, this is a skill that I could do with improving and there are many ways in which I can start to improve this skill step by step. One way in which I can improve this skill is by taking more of a role of speaking to the audience and by having more information to say will improve my speaking ability each time I present. Another point I could start adapting to is the ability to reduce the workload on my PowerPoint slides as the more written text on each slide will make the audience lose interest so by placing more information within the notes page as well as adding in images can help myself with my speech as I would have more to say to the audience during each presentation. Once I feel more confident in public speaking, I would have improved this skill significantly making this skill more useful to me and that I wouldn't need to produce cue cards that contain my information on within the future.
Working Individually
The ability to work independently has meant that I am confident within myself to produce the best piece of work that was produced only by myself and that no one contributed towards any of my assignments. This skill has been used mostly throughout my entire two years at Harlow College meaning that this skill is at a high enough standard due to the Distinction Graded units I have completed due to the work being done by myself. Overall, I believe that I have the ability to work independently making this skill very useful to me and that it is at the highest point I can reach. This was done by combining all of the other skills that I have adapted to using and by using them all together to produce all my pieces of work to the best standard I can produce and that they are done using the technology provided to me, done as a team when required, written in a report format on my own, meeting the deadlines I have been set and by using presentations by myself when necessary.
IT Skills
Throughout the course of my education, I have been required to show an understanding with IT Skills and that I know what little functions can do to help benefit my work that I produce on the computers, laptops, iPads etc. I believe that this skill is quite important within my learning and that I am able to use this skill effectively within all assignments given to me. This has been achieved by trying out new techniques within my learning such as trial and error so that all aspects within a program such as Microsoft Word has been tried in order to memorise each function and what they do to help benefit my work. However, there are still areas of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Publisher that I haven't tried meaning that there are still areas of improvement but I believe that I have tested most aspects as well as the most important ones making me feel confident with my technological abilities.
Teamwork Skills
Teamwork Skills operate effectively within education as well as a working environment meaning that this skill needs to be developed effectively if this is not high enough for an individual. I believe that my teamwork skills are quite high standard as I have the ability to interact with others and to share my issues and concerns meaning I can be a influential member of the team. This skill affects the way I interact with others within a team as this could the standard of communication could be affected by the team I am working with. If I am working with complete strangers to me, this will affect my teamwork skills as I wouldn't know how well they would operate with some methods I put forwards compared to working in a team that I fully know meaning my teamwork skills will change depending on the team I am in. This could be improved by providing my opinions forward straight away so that I get to see how everyone responds to my actions and if so, maybe take control of the group to make sure our opinions are the same.
Report Writing Skills
By producing reports within Harlow College, I have been able to produce a lot of my coursework through using a report style format and that all tasks that I have used as a report format has passed and made me achieve a Distinction Grade within all of the first nine units I undertook. Report Writing is essential for me to complete my assignments within a professional manner so therefore by using this skill very often can mean that I have developed this skill to the highest standard that I can achieve. This was achieved through the use of completing all assignments given to me throughout my BTEC Business Extended Diploma Level 3 course at Harlow College and that by using different formats of report writing can mean I can chose the best style that suits the task at hand to show my professionalism within the college and this could be applied towards a business environment.
Meeting Deadlines
Meeting Deadlines is one skill that I believe I have fully achieved the highest level of standard in. This is due to all the assignments I have been given and that all of them have been completed before all the deadlines or on the days they are due in on. This is a very important skill that I believe I have achieved the highest standard in and that their is no area for improvement required for this skill. This is achieved through the use of setting up schedules to help myself meet the deadline so by planning when to either start my assignment or whether to complete the assignment, I would follow the schedule I have set myself and that I follow it through making the work completed earlier than the deadline to prevent the chance of overloaded work. This makes me have more spare time once the tasks are completed as by doing them early can make myself complete other tasks earlier as well meaning I wont struggle with the completion of some of my units within my Business course.
Presentation Skills
Being at Harlow College has meant that I have had to perform many presentations making me use my presentation skills a lot more often than when I was in secondary school. However, this is a skill that I could do with improving and there are many ways in which I can start to improve this skill step by step. One way in which I can improve this skill is by taking more of a role of speaking to the audience and by having more information to say will improve my speaking ability each time I present. Another point I could start adapting to is the ability to reduce the workload on my PowerPoint slides as the more written text on each slide will make the audience lose interest so by placing more information within the notes page as well as adding in images can help myself with my speech as I would have more to say to the audience during each presentation. Once I feel more confident in public speaking, I would have improved this skill significantly making this skill more useful to me and that I wouldn't need to produce cue cards that contain my information on within the future.
Working Individually
The ability to work independently has meant that I am confident within myself to produce the best piece of work that was produced only by myself and that no one contributed towards any of my assignments. This skill has been used mostly throughout my entire two years at Harlow College meaning that this skill is at a high enough standard due to the Distinction Graded units I have completed due to the work being done by myself. Overall, I believe that I have the ability to work independently making this skill very useful to me and that it is at the highest point I can reach. This was done by combining all of the other skills that I have adapted to using and by using them all together to produce all my pieces of work to the best standard I can produce and that they are done using the technology provided to me, done as a team when required, written in a report format on my own, meeting the deadlines I have been set and by using presentations by myself when necessary.