Evaluation and Review of Development Journey - Coursework Example

CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Career Professional Development (CPD) is very important to any who wants to follow the personal goals. It enables one to have a target in career while still in schooling and work toward achieving the goals. I am pursuing a course in Civil Engineering and on the pathway to achieve the goals. I have conducted personal SWOT analysis and I know where I need to improve. Therefore, I have a plan to conduct different activities towards overcoming the weaknesses as well as the threats. Some of the activities in line include networking, applying jobs, developing CV, and volunteering Introduction It is the desire of every student to have a promising career immediately after finishing first degree of university or college. However, some manages to meet these goals while others fail due to different factors. The few who manages to accomplish their goals of getting a well paying job do so because of their early preparedness towards the sector of choice. Therefore, this paper aims at making me prepare for the job market by developing my career targets. My aim is to become a civil engineer hence the paper will discuss what it takes to become one by analyzing my SWOT. I will then conduct a reflection of my prior activities towards the same goals as well as where I need to improve. Reflection CPD recording template I have engaged in many activities since I joined this college to pursue a course in civil engineering. I have met challenges in the process of studies to become stronger and to develop my goals. I have realized the importance of CPD because it is the path to one’s success in the corporate world. Similarly, it enables an individual to have prior experiences and the jobs or sectors demands (Tatum 2011). Therefore, I believe the activities I have engaged are important towards making me realize my career goals as well as my life achievements. The following table shows the activities I have involved in since I entered this learning institution. Development activity Content and evaluation Details of activities Date Key learning points Benefits Future actions/follow up Learning outcome Mentorship/Volunteering May 6, 2011 -learning cross cultural practices -giving a helping hand -giving back to the community -understood work ethics in different institutions -helped those in need and made a change -gained skills in solving different social problems -See the progress in case the impacts were long term -help others who came behind to follow right channels in life - -life skills needed for survival Civil engineering 2015 -Career prosperity -designing buildings -customer care representations -Dealing with complicated and comprehensive problems - -practice what is learned in professionalism -make a change in the society -put to practice all tehgleaning outcomes -seek employment or become an entrepreneur or consultants SWOT Analysis There are competitions in the corporate world ranging from business opportunities to graduates seeking employments. This has made many people to lose opportunities due to intense competition witnessed. However, there are those who manage to get employment from their first interview and this may be attributed to many factors. Individuals SWOT analysis is a primary factor to getting employment opportunity as well as heightening ones career. I believe am also well positioned to get employed at the first interview because my SWOT is okay with the profession I am engaged in. For instance, I am convinced that combining my top GPA in the engineering school with excellent work experience and campus involvement will be great in booming my career. Although there are many in the field of civil engineering and it is highly competitive, there are still high demands for skilled engineers making me better positioned to get a job (Srour et al. 2013). I know there are countless civil engineers in the market but that number is still below the expected number to serve in the ever-growing industry. The following are the analysis of my SWOT Strengths I am studying civil engineering, one of the rear courses, which people fear because of the demanding content making me believe on my strengths. I have been involved in a number of activities; both fulltime and part time related to my career as well as for outreach. Moreover, I have been involved in different student’s activities within the campus including chairing civil engineering students association. Besides my education and leadership skills, I am competent in different computer applications. Additionally, I have good performance record in academic work, am motivated, excellent team player, and am qualified for many other jobs since I can multi-task. The above qualities form part of my strengths as a student taking civil engineering and as a potential employee. Being from a family of many siblings has taught me interpersonal skills and communication as well as the power in teamwork. Weaknesses I believe I have done enough of class work to warrant a degree but that is not enough in the corporate world. As a civil engineer, my employers require experience more than paper work (Shuster 2010). Therefore, I have to look for experience to make me competitive and acquire advantages. Currently, I do not have much connection in the corporate world hence I will need to work hard to find important people who can act as my godfather. Many candidates are in the market that has the equal potential and they might get advantage because they have some friends who might tell them of the available opportunities hence taking advantage over me. Lastly, those who have been in the job market working for four years have much experience than what I have in civil engineering as well as structural components compared to my classroom theory (Shuster 2010). Therefore, there is much need of lifelong learning and continuous improvement to become successful in my career. Opportunities Civil engineering and other related professions are some of the fastest t growing professionalism in the region if not the world (Shuster 2010). The professionalism is expected to grow because of the shortage of skilled graduates willing to take up opportunities. The advancements in technology are creating a more challenging environment that requires civil engineers to come in and assist (Ku 2014). Currently, there are opportunities everywhere since constructions are emerging after every minute calling for the knowledge of civil engineers (CAREERS 2014). The salaries for civil engineers have continued to grow high because of the high and imbalance supply and demand of skilled professionals. Similarly, I have learned from flexible curriculum, which gives me the opportunities to diversify my professionalism, and can do other assignment in structural engineering. Many nations are collaborating with one another as others looks for experienced professionals from other nations (CAREERS 2014). It provides me with opportunities to have a wider scope of work environment and options of working everywhere within the world. Moreover, there is a room to go for further studies in order to increase opportunities for more lucrative careers. The faculty also offers support to students, which can help me get opportunities and net work with other potential employers (Grigg 2008). Threats There has been many opportunities in the field of civil engineering ever since. Therefore, many students are enrolling in this course even from the lower level colleges. Therefore, there is much competition among students leaving only the best to get the jobs. Similarly, the high enrolment is meant to take advantage of the abundant supply hence raising the standard of competence. However, the high and ever changing technology is rendering many skills irrelevant making today’s competencies tomorrow incompetence (Russell 2013). It requires one to upgrade frequently the skills and proficiencies to match today’s demands (Gontfort Brown & Shinew 2014). In some instances, fresh graduates are poorly paid hence may demoralize one towards performing to the uttermost. Plan Competition among graduates is the daily language on the job markets hence the need to be a competitor to enjoy the fruits of schooling. One of the ways of being a competitor is to develop a plan to implement toward achieving the set goals in life (Kelly & Littman 2008). I know there is competition, more so to fresh graduates who lack experience, hence I need to start early to gain the necessary skills required at work place. Additionally, I know I have my weaknesses that I identified through SWOT analysis as well as threats that I need to work on by improving on them. Moreover, I need to grab the available opportunities as I use my strengths in obtaining desires in life just like anybody. Therefore, there is a need to develop a plan that will ensure I meet all these desires and goals to become a better person in the society like Kelly and Littman (2008) suggested. The plan to be discussed or developed encompasses different activities that I plan to take or consider towards helping me overcome my weakness and threats. Similarly, they will make me become more competitive than I am through acquiring experiences as well as knowing other things in the engineering industry. Activities Volunteering/Mentoring I plan to volunteer and mentor fist year students. I believe this will be vital to both of us because it will help them develop their careers at earlier stage as I also do research on the expected as well as the topic to discuss or mentor. Similarly, volunteering in mentoring first year students will add great value on my CV as someone who is willing to give back to the society or help without a pay. The success for this activity will be measured when I finish the time dedicated and make a change to the students. I plan to do this activity in my final semester before sitting for my final exam. I will do it part time when we both have humble time for one another. CV Production Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV) is an important tool that any graduate seeking job must have (Kelly & Littman 2008). It acts as ones selling point and as a spokesperson on the potential that I have. A well-developed CV will increase my chances of getting an interview, which might also lead to a job opportunity. I am planning to develop my CV before I start applying for jobs or before I leave the learning institution. All the activities I do from today will be included in my CV to show the employer all that I did when in school. Applying for jobs Early job application is very important because it enable one to know the requirements of the industry as well as skills (Kelly & Littman 2008). I plan to start applying for jobs as soon as I develop my CV. I believe early jobs application is vital because it enables me to familiarize myself with the terminologies used when applying for a position related to my area of professionalism. It will also help me know my weaknesses especially in areas where I do not meet the threshold. Moreover, applying a number of jobs per period will keep me on toe towards seeking opportunities that can change my life. Applying MSc Education is an activity that never ends and the more an individual goes higher is the more the motives increases. Engineering is fast changing because of frequent innovations. Therefore, there is a need for an individual to equip himself or herself with latest skills towards solving emerging problems. I will enroll for MSc in Civil engineering where I will specialize in one given area. I believe this will give me advantage to overcome various challenges that comes with the industry or discipline. The best time to enroll is after graduation probably in 2016/17 academic year in the same institution. Searching for reputable companies I know there are many companies dealing with my area of specialization within the country. Therefore, there is need to identify the potential companies that can offer me a job opportunity. I will identify top engineering companies and evaluate their corporate cultures and values that aligns with my beliefs. I will then strengthen my network with them for consideration. This will take effect after developing my CV and ready to haunt for jobs. Networking Networking has proved to be very important in getting a job. Currently, I have poor networks in the corporate sector. I will begin immediately to look for friends who work in the corporate world to increase my opportunities of getting a job. I will also require them to coach me and tell me of the requirements so that I equip myself. Moreover, I will need their services towards connecting me with potential employers besides what I have or the list I have developed. The following table is a summary of the activities. Activities Time-scale Successful outcomes relevance Networking March-Dec -increased number of friends -increased referral cases -more job opportunities -Enables me increase job opportunities Profiling companies June-August -Detailed list of companies dealing in engineering - -To know the relevant companies to approach Applying MSs 2016/17 -Refresh and increase my skills -Update knowledge on latest developments -Enrolled in the MSc program Applying jobs August- -To get employments -selling myself to potential employers -attending interviews -getting employed CV production April -record all my potential - Acts as a selling tool -Contacted for interview and offered a job Volunteering/Mentoring April- -Give back to the society -nurture fresher’s -Gain knowledge -developed positive attitudes towards first years Conclusion Professional career development is very essential to any student who has dreams. It enable one to develop goals early in early and before finish schools. Hence, it helps one to develop a pathway towards achieving the set targets. Because of that, it increases ones chances of getting an employment opportunity because of timelines. Similarly, it makes one focus on the achievements hence higher concentration on the important things. References CAREERS 2014, Communications of The ACM, 57(11), pp. 106-119, Gontfort, D, Brown, S, & Shinew, D 2014, The Personal Epistemologies of Civil Engineering Faculty, Journal of Engineering Education, 103(3), pp. 388-416 Grigg, NS 2008, Universities and professional associations: Partnerships for civil engineering careers, Journal of Management in Engineering, 14(2), p. 45, Kelly. T & Littman, J 2008, The Ten Faces of Innovation: IDEOs Strategies for Beating the Devils Advocate & Driving Creativity Throughout Your Organization, Routledge, New York. Ku, WA 2014, careers IN THE 21st century, Childrens Technology & Engineering, 18(4), pp. 32-33 Russell, JS 2013, Shaping the Future of the Civil Engineering Profession, Journal of Construction Engineering & Management, 139(6), pp. 654-664 Shuster, LA 2010, Civil Engineering among Top Careers in 2010 and Beyond, Civil Engineering (08857024), 80(2), pp. 14-16, Srour, I, Abdul-Malak, M, Itani, M, Bakshan, A, & Sidani, Y 2013, Career Planning and Progression for Engineering Management Graduates: An Exploratory Study, Engineering Management Journal, 25(3), pp. 85-100 Tatum, CB 2011, Core Elements of Construction Engineering Knowledge for Project and Career Success, Journal Of Construction Engineering & Management, 137(10), pp. 745-750 Read More