Reflective Writing on Industrial Placement - Essay Example

Reflective Writing on Industrial Placement Name Institution Course Introduction Sometimes understood as work experience, the process of industrial placement is a mandatory process for most career choices. One gets to understand better what a given career option entails in detail through industrial attachment as opposed to other alternatives that offer experience of working life. Such opportunities as courses that give insight into chosen careers, organizational open-days involving students, voluntary jobs, part-time employment, part-time employment opportunities, international student exchange programmes and project work sessions with chosen firms give students the experience required in their careers, but they are not as effective as industrial placement sessions. This read covers a personal reflective of the experience and skills learnt I gained through my industrial placement at EDA Engineers and a detailed discussion of the factors that I observed during the period s hinted in the reflective piece. Reflective Piece Industrial attachment is an experience that many students in their third or fourth year of study look forward to with a lot of enthusiasm and excitement. Most of these students also have their fears over the outcome of the whole experience. This was my feeling when I joined EDA Engineers for my industrial attachment. The thought of moving from the classroom instructional context to a working environment felt more like a relief from the monotonous lifestyle of the school curriculum, though the excitement was definitely a mixture of joy and anxiety, as I was just but a theoretical engineer since I had really not had the opportunity to fully put into practice what I so far had learnt as an Engineering student. A feeling of constructive exposure overwhelms me as I expect to join EDA, where my practical skills in engineering are to be sharpened. This is the feeling that most of my course mates are certainly having. The industrial placement in most cases takes place during the long vacations amid study semesters. Students are given the opportunity to select an industrial firm of their choice, though the firm has to be approved by the student’s study institution. This long vacation industrial placement affords students enough time to fully exploit their skills and learn as much as they can with full attention given to the attachment. Industrial attachment can be understood as the work experience that is structured purposely within a working context, which requires the student to acquire and apply skills and knowledge relevant to their field of study. I had to therefore put into practice the skills that I had mostly theoretically learnt in engineering. The placement in a way was a way of challenging me to learn other organizational and social skills present within the working environment. It is evident that industrial attachment therefore requires the students to organizational values present in their working environment as well as testing the students’ knowledge, both theoretical and practical, in relation to their area of study as seen in their performance during the placement. Just like my friends with whom I was on the industrial attachment, basic advantages of the process were apparent to us. The placement gave us a platform to further explore our interests in the engineering career, a platform to learn and better new working skills, an opportunity to gain working experience via understanding my expectation in the work setting and nurturing my professional links and network. The industrial placement did utilize and develop my working skills to the best levels. My ability to effectively communicate was a vital skill in the placement. To effectively undergo the industrial attachment session, one must be able to fully put into practice their speaking and writing skills. These skills are vital since we do not work alone and there is need to make records from time to time. Demonstration of skill in problem solving was another ability that I found vital to develop during my industrial attachment. Problem solving is demonstrated through analysis and understanding of a problematic situation as well as translation of investigation and research based practices. Lastly, the ability to organize priorities and plan my responsibilities in the work setting in order to meet deadlines was a significant qualification. Efficiency in meeting deadlines as a skill is enhanced by way of being flexible in order to view conditions from different perspectives so as to have a number of solutions and increased ability to respond to changes in situational demands. One also must be able to work as an individual within a group with a common interest. These are skills that one must have learnt before they finally undertake their industrial placement. However, these skills are best put in practice in a working environment, as they are very significant in the successful completion of the placement, with it learning and acquisition of relevant skills. Industrial attachment was such a platform on which I developed my skills outside my routine engineering coursework. Research-based Discussion of Issues Apparent in the Reflective Piece It is common practice for students to choose the firms in which to undertake their industrials attachment (Marjanović et al, 2005). It is the responsibility of these very students to make a pre-visit to the industries or firms in which they have chosen to undertake the whole exercise. A meeting with the EDA supervisors was a key step, as this meeting would help give insight into the firm’s expectations of the interns, and it would clarify the responsibilities bestowed upon the interns. Through this meeting, we as interns would therefore equally meet our academic requirements which include writing a report on the internship after successful completion of the exercise. Students on their internship or industrial placement are required to exhibit the highest levels of professionalism as expected. Their work is regularly inspected by the firm’s site supervisor. In view of Oldman et al(2005), the supervisor must possess utmost technical knowledge and expertise in the field of the student’s study. Oldman et al further argue that their basic responsibilities include conducting interviews on the interns, taking the interns through an orientation process, ascertaining the student qualifications and fitness for the responsibilities bestowed on them, giving directions, supervising and carrying out evaluation on the progress and performance of the students. Jennings(2008) and Marjanović et al(2005) are of the idea that with constant evaluation by the students’ tutor, the supervisor acts mentor in the career journey. This supervisor shares the challenges and probable solutions to such problems that the students are likely to encounter as they undertake the responsibilities given to them. All these challenge should be drawn from the supervisor’s rich background of experience in the provision of services. The evaluation of the supervisor helps to put students on tract in line with their responsibilities as they are aware of the need to perform well for a better recommendation(Myles, 2008). The evaluation also helps the student perfect their skills that they have already learnt in the classroom context. Myles adds that other than continued evaluation, the supervisor also does give basic resources and information vital in the operation of interns, provision of necessary guidance and give responses to questions that interns could be having. The learning process continues as attachés receive regular recommendations of improving their skills in their career paths. These supervisors become a significant source of information to students with regard to creation and maintenance of career networks and associations with the relevant bodies and individuals. Faculty representatives from the students’ college or university then are expected to make regular visits which are meant to assess the progress and performance of the students in the companies. Such representatives also find time to respond to concerns raised by their students and marking and grading of the industrial placement reports done by the students. Among the most significant working skills is the ability of the student to establish and maintain meaningful relationships that thrive on the level of social interaction (Oldman et al,2005). The student should be able to further their communication skills, either in written or spoken form, with their colleagues, site supervisors and the school’s faculty representative. Such communication is vital in the determination of the students’ success in their industrial placement exercise. Jennings(2008) points out that effective communication during one’s internship period enhances their learning process and receipt of other benefits that come along with the exercise. In order to have a first-hand experience of work, to have the knowledge necessary for a given career, to establish lasting career qualifications and networks, industrial placement exercises are most efficient. Myles(2008) and Marjanović et al (2005) concur that the industries that take up students as attachés do not only give them an opportunity to put into practice what they have learnt at college, but also an opportunity for these students to understand the pace with such big organisations work, the atmosphere and discipline of the industries, the values that are a necessity in such working conditions and an opportunity for employment as these firms note new talent and capability in the young individuals who would propel the firm to its next level in the future. Industrial placement does develop the students at a personal level. Although they work in unison to achieve a common objective in their areas of attachment and responsibility, these students do gain a lot of experience that is of importance to themselves as individuals. The skills of problems solving are such a personal level in which students develop. For one to be good in the art of problem solving, they must possess the power to analyze the current situation that poses a difficulty and the possible solutions that can be effected to ease the situation (Oldman et al,2005). The students therefore develop both interpersonal and personal techniques that help them to respond to problems. The learners become intrinsically motivated, their analytical skills are sharpened, knowledge and skills that are specific to the subject of study are enhanced and the key functional aspects of business organisations become clearly understood. The challenges that the students face in reality during the process give actual experiences of problems, suggestions of alternatives and the actual process of problem solving becomes a very significant experience to the students. Conclusion The industrial placement period is an important stage in the career life of a student who intends to join the job market, and such is for the engineering students. The placement is not only a chance for the students to get the required academic qualifications for given career choices, but also a chance for the students to gain the basic skills that will enable them to efficiently and effectively perform their responsibilities when they finally join the job market. With the help of the host supervisor and a representative of the faculty from the student’s school, the evaluation process of the industrial placement ensures that the attachés gain optimum working experience. The students have their personal skills enhanced through collaborative work and responsibilities. They also get to learn to internalize the problem solving skills and enhancement of their social communication skills. The placement helps the students to establish career networks that prove significant after their studies. References Jennings, A. A., & Case Western Reserve University. (2008). Undergraduate research internships to support exploratory research in transportation engineering. Cleveland, Ohio: Case Western Reserve University. Marjanović, I., Rüedi, K., & Tankard, J. (2005). Practical experience: An architecture student's guide to internship and the year out. Amsterdam: Elsevier, Architectural Press. Myles, J. M. (2008). Communicative competence in the workplace: A look at the experiences of English second language engineering students during their professional internships. Ann Arbor, Mich: UMI. Oldman, M., Hamadeh, S., & Princeton Review (Firm). (2005). The internship bible. 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Industrial attachment can be understood as the work experience that is structured purposely within a working context, which requires the student to acquire and apply skills and knowledge relevant to their field of study. I had to therefore put into practice the skills that I had mostly theoretically learnt in engineering. The placement in a way was a way of challenging me to learn other organizational and social skills present within the working environment. It is evident that industrial attachment therefore requires the students to organizational values present in their working environment as well as testing the students’ knowledge, both theoretical and practical, in relation to their area of study as seen in their performance during the placement.

Just like my friends with whom I was on the industrial attachment, basic advantages of the process were apparent to us. The placement gave us a platform to further explore our interests in the engineering career, a platform to learn and better new working skills, an opportunity to gain working experience via understanding my expectation in the work setting and nurturing my professional links and network. The industrial placement did utilize and develop my working skills to the best levels. My ability to effectively communicate was a vital skill in the placement.

To effectively undergo the industrial attachment session, one must be able to fully put into practice their speaking and writing skills. These skills are vital since we do not work alone and there is need to make records from time to time. Demonstration of skill in problem solving was another ability that I found vital to develop during my industrial attachment. Problem solving is demonstrated through analysis and understanding of a problematic situation as well as translation of investigation and research based practices.

Lastly, the ability to organize priorities and plan my responsibilities in the work setting in order to meet deadlines was a significant qualification. Efficiency in meeting deadlines as a skill is enhanced by way of being flexible in order to view conditions from different perspectives so as to have a number of solutions and increased ability to respond to changes in situational demands. One also must be able to work as an individual within a group with a common interest. These are skills that one must have learnt before they finally undertake their industrial placement.

However, these skills are best put in practice in a working environment, as they are very significant in the successful completion of the placement, with it learning and acquisition of relevant skills. Industrial attachment was such a platform on which I developed my skills outside my routine engineering coursework. Research-based Discussion of Issues Apparent in the Reflective Piece It is common practice for students to choose the firms in which to undertake their industrials attachment (Marjanović et al, 2005).

It is the responsibility of these very students to make a pre-visit to the industries or firms in which they have chosen to undertake the whole exercise. A meeting with the EDA supervisors was a key step, as this meeting would help give insight into the firm’s expectations of the interns, and it would clarify the responsibilities bestowed upon the interns. Through this meeting, we as interns would therefore equally meet our academic requirements which include writing a report on the internship after successful completion of the exercise.

Students on their internship or industrial placement are required to exhibit the highest levels of professionalism as expected. Their work is regularly inspected by the firm’s site supervisor. In view of Oldman et al(2005), the supervisor must possess utmost technical knowledge and expertise in the field of the student’s study. Oldman et al further argue that their basic responsibilities include conducting interviews on the interns, taking the interns through an orientation process, ascertaining the student qualifications and fitness for the responsibilities bestowed on them, giving directions, supervising and carrying out evaluation on the progress and performance of the students.

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