BMW5003M | Career
Development and
Employability
Personal Development and Learning
Dr Winojith Sanjeewa
Seminar Week : 01 1
Aims of this session
• Upon completion of this session, you are expected to
achieve the following:
• Gain a profound comprehension of the assessment brief for
the e-portfolio.
• Engage in a discussion regarding the cultivation of
academic and interpersonal skills throughout the duration of
your degree.
• Evaluate personal strengths and weaknesses in relation to
immediate, medium-term, and longer-term developmental
requirements.
• Formulate strategies for addressing weaknesses and
amplifying strengths. 2
Assessment
Description % Due Date
1 Electronic Portfolio 100 5th June 2025
This portfolio serves as a comprehensive
representation of your academic semester's 111-
hour work placement experience, compiled using
the PebblePad e-portfolio platform. It encompasses
diverse
E-
elements that demonstrate your
professional development, reflective practice, and
Portfolio
readiness for future career transitions.
Overview
Key Components:
1/3
Work Placement Hours: Document a detailed log of
your 111-hour work placement, emphasizing the
skills acquired and experiences encountered.
the PebblePad e-portfolio : Utilise the Mahara e-
portfolio platform to organise and present your
assessment materials.
CV Development: Present an updated
E-
CV, solicit feedback, analysis, and
reflections showcasing the evolution of
Portfolio
your CV.
Overview
Covering Letter Development: Craft
1/2 job prospects, aligning
cover letters targeting short-term, medium-
term, and long-term
with respective job descriptions.
Video Interview Simulation: Upload five
videos simulating interview scenarios,
responding to predetermined questions
using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action,
Result) method.
Work Placement Blog: Link to a personal
WordPress blog (, detailing a minimum of six entries
chronicling your work placement experiences,
including personal reflections categorized into
personal, career-related, and academic development.
Reflection Framework: Elucidate the frameworks
utilised for reflective practices and how they shape
your work experiences.
Diversity and Legal Compliance: Demonstrate
e-portfolio knowledge regarding working with individuals from
diverse ethnic, religious, and gender backgrounds,
emphasizing legal requirements within the workplace.
Well-being and Work-Life Balance: Showcase
strategies and approaches for maintaining physical
and mental well-being, ensuring a healthy work-life
balance.
Action Plan: Create a detailed action plan
delineating the transition from your degree to future
endeavors, encompassing academic, professional,
and personal goals adhering to the SMART (Specific,
Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound)
criteria.
Important ‘Study Skills’
Time management
and being able to
work independently
Team-working Presentation skills
Critical thinking and
Active Reading IT skills
reading
Listening Skills Problem solving
Essay and Report
Self-reflection Communication
writing
Business awareness Skills (written / oral)
Research and library
Influencing Skills
skills
Quantitative skills
Proactive Attitude
7
Key questions – For two skills from
each of the columns…
How do you define each of ‘The difference between someone who is
good at … compared to someone who is
these skills? not good at … is that they will/will not …’
How good do you think you are at … ?
What evidence do you have?
Are these skills important for your studies, or the
workplace, or both?
8
Important ‘Employability Skills’
CBI (2017) AGCAS (2011) Prospects (2018)
Use of IT A positive attitude Interpersonal skills
Numeracy Skills Good personal Communication and
Technical Skills presentation motivation
Basic literacy /Use of English Honesty and integrity Organisation and
Teamworking Reliability delegation
Problem Solving Timekeeping and Forward planning and
Can-do approach/positive personal organisation strategic thinking
attitude Team working, Problem solving and
Communication Skills collaboration and co- decision-making
Knowledge about the Job operation Commercial awareness
Relevant Work Experience Flexibility
Attitude/resilience Commercial awareness
and customer focus
9
International employability – Top 3
India: CII (2019) – Learning Agility, adaptability, English language
New Zealand (2003) – Ability/Willingness to learn, working in teams , good
interpersonal relations
Malaysia (Azmi, Hashim & Yousaf, 2018) – Attitude: self-discipline,
responsibility, positive attitude
South Africa (Shivoro et al, 2018) – Critical Thinking, Systems Thinking,
Literacy/Numeracy
Nigeria (Adebakin et al. 2015) – Analytical/Problem-solving, Team-working,
English
Globally (WEF, 2016) – Complex Problem solving, Critical Thinking, Creativity
10
Identifying the gap between your current
skills and your desired skill level:
• Steps in the Development
of Personal Skills
11
The Johari Window (Luft and Ingham,
1955)
12
The Kolb learning cycle (Kolb, 1984)
• Experience
• Reflection
• Theorising
• Planning
13
Stages of skill development
Conscious Conscious
Competence Incompetence
Unconscious Unconscious
Competence Incompetence
14
Steps in the development of personal
skills (cont.)
Subjective Information
STEP 1: Decide what you Johari Window
need to develop Gathering Objective Information
STEP 2: Decide how to develop these skills
Model 1: The Kolb Learning Cycle
Model 2: The Four Stages of Learning a New Skill
15
Setting good goals: SMART goal
setting
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-Based
16
Short-term and Long-term goal
setting 17
Example of a personal development
plan
Skill/ Action Resources Date(s) for Date for Aspirational Met?
Behaviour Needed Needed Action Review (i.e. Goal
(including next (Specific,
people) opportunity Measurable,
to practise Achievable,
and Realistic/
demonstrate Resourced,
skill) Time-based)
Giving Looking and Friends Rehearsing Complete I want to be
Regular Eye rehearsing every Friday presentation hitting the 5/5
Contact in presentation Books on afternoon in front of for eye
Presentation in mirror and presentation friends every contact each
s in front of skills Reading on Saturday time I do the
friends presentation morning: 18th, practice
Online every 25th, 2nd presentation.
Gather resources Thursday I’ll use the
feedback evaluation
from friends Computer form to
collect
evaluations
from friends.
18
Overlap of ‘Study Skills’ and
‘Employability Skills’
19
Questions
20
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