Table of Contents
Learning New Skills or Information. 3
Continual Personal Development (CPD) 4
Undertaking the Competency Test 6
Identifying Personal and Employer Needs. 6
Developing a Personal Development Plan. 7
Task 1
Examining Learning Style
Learning styles refer to the different ways in which individuals prefer to learn and process information. The two learning style options provided in the links are the Simple Life Strategies (SLS) learning style quiz and the Education Planner learning style quiz.
The SLS quiz categorizes learning styles into four types: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and reading/writing. The quiz consists of 16 questions, each with four possible answers, and requires selecting the option that best describes one's learning preference. The Education Planner quiz categorizes learning styles into three types: visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. This quiz consists of 20 questions, with each question requiring one to indicate their preferred method of learning.
When comparing the results of the two quizzes, both revealed that I have a preference for visual learning. According to the SLS quiz, I scored the highest in the visual category, followed by kinesthetic and auditory, with the lowest score in reading/writing (Emaliana, 2017). The Education Planner quiz results also showed that I have a preference for visual learning, followed by kinesthetic and auditory.
Therefore, based on my quiz results, I learn new material best through visual aids, such as diagrams, charts, and videos. I also benefit from hands-on activities and demonstrations, which allow me to learn through physical movements and actions.
Understanding my learning style is crucial for my personal development as it helps me to identify the most effective learning methods for me. By understanding how I learn best, I can tailor my approach to learning, which can help me to maximize my learning potential and increase my ability to retain information.
Learning New Skills or Information
In a recent learning experience, I attempted to learn how to use a new video editing software program. I was eager to acquire this completely unfamiliar skill.
I gave up and read the instructions after realizing that I couldn't figure out how to import media files into the software. I had offered a couple of times to do it a chance on my anyway wasn't compelling. I knew that if I continued trying to figure it out on my own, I would waste a lot of time and become frustrated, so I decided to read the instructions (Wanna and de Jesus Simôes, 2021).
The instructions were very helpful because they explained how to import media files into the software step by step. They included screenshots and diagrams to illustrate the steps and were written in a manner that was concise and easy to comprehend. I could effectively comply with the guidelines and import my media documents into the product.
Even though I prefer to learn by doing, this experience taught me that reading instructions can sometimes be very helpful. I also realized that I easily get frustrated when I can't figure out something on my own, so I need to know when to ask for help or read instructions. As a result of this experience, I now have a better understanding of my learning style and how I can improve my approach to learning new skills or information.
Continual Personal Development (CPD)
The Chartered Institute of Personal Development (CIPD) website offers a section for Continual Personal Development (CPD). This section provides resources and guidance for individuals to develop their skills and knowledge throughout their careers.
In my work, I have added to my skills and knowledge by attending conferences, workshops, and training sessions. I have also pursued self-directed learning through online courses and reading industry publications. Additionally, I have sought out mentorship and feedback from more experienced colleagues to continuously improve my performance.
Based on my examination of learning styles in the previous section, my learning style is predominantly visual, with some kinesthetic elements. Therefore, I have found that attending workshops and training sessions that provide hands-on activities and visual aids is most effective for me. I also benefit from reading industry publications with diagrams and images to aid in understanding complex concepts.
To learn new methods, technologies, legal, and commercial requirements effectively based on my learning styles, I need to engage in active and visual learning experiences. This could include attending workshops or training sessions with interactive components, such as case studies or simulations (Allen et al., 2021). Additionally, using visual aids, such as diagrams or flowcharts, can aid in understanding complex information.
In terms of legal and commercial requirements, I have found that engaging with experts in the field and seeking mentorship has been helpful. This allows for direct, personalized feedback and guidance on how to navigate legal and commercial requirements effectively.
Training and Development
An organization's success is largely dependent on its capacity for training and development. Employees' performance and productivity rise as a result of their improved skills and knowledge. Providing them with opportunities for career advancement also aids in employee retention.
Depending on their industry, size, and specific business goals, an employer or potential employer may have different training and development requirements. To break down their requirements, one can direct a preparation needs investigation by assessing the abilities and information holes of the representatives and it is expected to recognize regions where improvement. This can be accomplished through individual assessments, focus groups, or surveys.
The training needs analysis can also help identify the learning styles that best describe the employer's requirements. For instance, if the employees are mostly visual learners, video or infographic-based training may be more beneficial. On the other hand, if they learn best by hearing, they might do better with podcasts or lectures.
Effective methods for training and development can be suggested based on the learned skills. For instance, if the representatives are sensation students, active preparation or reproductions might be more successful (Allen et al., 2020). If they are social learners, they might do better in group projects or discussions.
E-learning modules, mentorship programs, coaching, and job shadowing are all good options for training and development. In addition, it is essential to make certain that the training and development programs are regularly evaluated to ensure their effectiveness and that they are in line with the organization's overall business goals.
Task 2
Undertaking the Competency Test
This assignment made use of the skill test from 123test.com. This test evaluates all aspects of communication, critical thinking, relationship skills, and management abilities.
I have strong self-management, communication, and problem-solving abilities, according to my test results. In these areas, I scored above average, demonstrating my capacity for effective communication, time management, and working under pressure. However, my scores were lower in other areas, so I need to work on my leadership and teamwork skills.
My Bachelor's degree provides me with a solid foundation in business principles like accounting, finance, and marketing, according to my prior knowledge and abilities. Throughout my career, I've held positions in marketing, project management, customer service, and other fields. I have acquired a variety of leadership, communication, and problem-solving abilities through these positions.
My strengths, as revealed by the competency test, are my ability to solve problems, communicate effectively, and manage myself. However, I must enhance my leadership and teamwork abilities. To address these areas of progress, I want to focus on developing my capacity to collaborate with others, as well as my communication and interpersonal skills (Khalid et al., 2019). What's more, for me to expand my degree of skill around here, I should accept extra positions of authority.
Identifying Personal and Employer Needs
It is essential to identify the employee and employer's training and development needs for personal growth and professional success. It tells people where they can grow and how to acquire new knowledge and skills that will benefit them personally and professionally. Similarly, an employer can better align their workforce with business objectives, increase productivity, and build a workforce that is more skilled and efficient by determining an employee's training and development needs.
Analyzing the training requirements of our current or potential employer is necessary for developing a personal development plan that meets the needs of both the individual and the organization. We will then be able to identify our knowledge and skill gaps and search for training opportunities that align with the organization's goals. By comprehending the organization's requirements for training and development, we can ensure that we acquire the necessary knowledge and abilities to contribute to the success of the business.
To determine the knowledge and abilities we wish to acquire, we need to evaluate our current capabilities and identify areas for improvement. We can conduct a self-assessment or seek feedback from supervisors and coworkers to identify areas for improvement. Then, we can look into opportunities for training and development that will assist us in learning what we need to know and do (England, 2017). In addition, we can look to our current employer for training opportunities and inquire about any upcoming training programs or courses that are compatible with our goals.
Setting SMART goals is a good way to make sure our personal development plan is both attainable and measurable. Astute addresses are unequivocal, quantifiable, reachable, critical, and time-bound. We can ensure that our self-awareness plan is feasible and practical by putting forth objectives that are explicit, quantifiable, and achievable. We can also guarantee that our goals are relevant to our requirements as individuals and as employers by aligning them with the organization's goals. Lastly, by setting a time-bound goal, we can ensure that we are tracking our progress and making progress toward our goals.
Developing a Personal Development Plan
A personal development plan is a roadmap outlining an individual's goals, objectives, and actions for improving their skills, knowledge, and personal qualities. It typically includes an analysis of strengths and areas for improvement, specific development goals, and a timeline for achieving them. Additionally, it should include an evaluation of progress and any necessary modifications.
Based on the skills audit, competency test, and identified personal and employer needs, I have developed a personal development plan for the next three years. The plan focuses on improving my technical and soft skills, expanding my knowledge of the construction industry, and enhancing my leadership abilities.
Personal Development Plan
Short-term development goals:
- Improve my communication skills by attending a communication skills training program within the next six months.
- Enhance my computer skills by taking an online course on Microsoft Office within the next three months.
- Develop my leadership skills by attending a leadership seminar within the next six months.
- Improve my time management skills by creating a daily schedule and sticking to it for the next three months (Baumert et al., 2017).
- Enhance my problem-solving skills by participating in a team problem-solving exercise within the next two months.
Long-term development goals:
- Complete a certification program in project management within the next 18 months.
- Improve my public speaking skills by attending a public speaking course within the next 12 months.
- Enhance my strategic planning skills by participating in a strategic planning workshop within the next 24 months.
- Develop my financial management skills by taking a finance course within the next 24 months.
- Improve my cross-cultural communication skills by attending an intercultural communication course within the next 18 months.
Personal goals versus employer/project goals:
Personal goals:
- Improve my communication skills.
- Enhance my computer skills.
- Develop my leadership skills.
- Improve my time management skills.
- Enhance my problem-solving skills.
- Improve my public speaking skills.
- Develop my financial management skills.
- Improve my cross-cultural communication skills.
Employer/project goals (Pereira and Manaf, 2021):
- Complete a certification program in project management.
- Enhance my strategic planning skills.
|
Goal |
Specific |
Measurable |
Achievable |
Relevant |
Time-bound |
|
Short-term goal 1 |
Attend a project management course to improve my knowledge and skills |
Yes, attendance and completion of the course will be tracked |
Yes, the course is available and fits within my schedule and budget |
Yes, the course content is relevant to my job and will improve my performance |
Within the next 6 months |
|
Short-term goal 2 |
Improve my communication skills by attending a public speaking workshop |
Yes, attending and completing the workshop will be tracked |
Yes, the workshop is available and fits within my schedule and budget |
Yes, improved communication skills will be beneficial to my job and personal life |
Within the next 3 months |
|
Long-term goal 1 |
Obtain a professional certification in project management |
Yes, obtaining the certification will require passing an exam and meeting other requirements |
Yes, the certification is measurable and recognized in the industry |
Yes, obtaining the certification is achievable with adequate preparation and effort |
Yes, obtaining the certification will be relevant to my career goals |
|
Long-term goal 2 |
Develop leadership skills by taking on a management role |
Yes, taking on a management role is specific and can be measured by obtaining the position |
Yes, progress in the management role can be tracked through performance evaluations |
Yes, taking on a management role is achievable with appropriate experience and skills |
Yes, developing leadership skills is relevant to my career goals |
|
Personal goal |
Improve my physical fitness by exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet |
Yes, regular exercise and healthy eating habits are specific and can be tracked |
Yes, progress in physical fitness can be measured through metrics such as weight and endurance |
Yes, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet are achievable with discipline and dedication |
Yes, improving physical fitness is relevant to my well-being |
I will discuss my personal development plan with my tutor and training supervisor at work to receive feedback and ensure that the plan aligns with the needs of both myself and the company (Landers et al., 2017). This discussion will also allow me to identify any additional training or development opportunities provided by the company and how they can support my personal and professional growth.
Task 3:
Future Development Plan Based on the information gathered from the previous tasks, I have developed a personal development plan for the next three years, which will meet both my personal and employer needs. The plan includes the following components:
- Goals: My personal and professional goals are to enhance my skills and knowledge in my current role, obtain a promotion to a managerial position within the next three years, and develop leadership and communication skills.
- Skills Development: To achieve my goals, I will need to focus on developing the following skills:
- Leadership skills: I will attend leadership training and seek mentorship from senior managers to develop my leadership skills.
- Communication skills: I will attend communication skills training and seek opportunities to practice effective communication with colleagues and customers.
- Project management skills: I will seek project management training and seek opportunities to manage projects at work.
- Technical skills: I will attend technical training courses to keep my technical skills up to date with the latest technologies.
- Timeframe: I will aim to achieve my goals within the next three years. I will set specific deadlines for each goal and skill development activity.
- Monitoring and evaluation: I will regularly monitor my progress towards achieving my goals and assess my performance against the SMART goals I have set for myself.
- Feedback: I will seek feedback from my supervisor and colleagues to identify areas for improvement and adjust my personal development plan accordingly.
In comparison to the expectations of my tutor and employer, my personal development plan aligns with their expectations. They have emphasized the importance of developing leadership and communication skills, which are also included in my plan (Niati et al., 2021). I believe that this plan will not only help me to achieve my personal goals but also benefit my employer by improving my skills and knowledge and contributing to the growth of the organization.
Considering my assessment of my ongoing data, capacities, abilities, and work history, as necessary, I have cultivated a plan for my future new development.
To begin, I want to enhance my project management, data analysis, and programming technical skills. To accomplish this, I will enrol in online courses and relevant workshops or seminars. I will also look for volunteer or project work at my current job that requires these skills.
Second, I'll focus on developing my soft skills, like teamwork, leadership, and communication. I'll work on getting over my weaknesses in these areas and ask my coworkers and boss for advice. I will also offer to take on additional leadership roles, such as leading a community project or serving on a board, either inside or outside of my workplace.
Last but not least, I will make certain that I adhere to all standard operating procedures and continue to prioritize health and safety at work. To encourage a positive workplace, I will likewise search for potential chances to prepare and coach new representatives.
By improving my technical and soft skills, I want to become a more valuable asset to both my current employer and potential future employers. I likewise desire to make a work environment culture of security and collaboration by setting well-being and wellbeing first and establishing a positive workplace.
Task 4:
Reflection on What I've Learned and Where I've Come Through this work-based growth opportunity, I've gained a lot of knowledge about myself, my abilities, and what expertise and self-improvement mean to me. I now recognize the significance of ongoing education and development for my personal and professional growth. What's more, I presently have a superior comprehension of the necessities of my manager and the manners by which my self-improvement can assist the business in succeeding.
Through the analysis from all angles and reflection, I've identified areas in which I can improve my communication and administration skills. In addition, I have realized how important it is to seek advice from superiors and coworkers to identify areas in which I can develop and adjust my personal development plan accordingly.
This work-based opportunity for growth has commonly furnished me with an important chance to work on my abilities, information, and perception of my assets and shortcomings. To achieve my professional and personal objectives, I will continue to concentrate on my plan for personal development and seek out opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills (Fakunle and Pirrie, 2020). I will also continue to solicit feedback and make any necessary adjustments to ensure that my plan meets the requirements of my employer and contributes to the success of the organization.
I've learned from working experience how important it is to be flexible and willing to learn new skills. I took in the significance of working with others and sticking to somewhere safe and secure conventions while functioning as a Sortation Partner at PMP Enrollment. I learned the value of efficiency and attention to detail at Freddie's Flowers.
I now know more about my strengths and areas for improvement thanks to the process of creating my personal development plan. In addition, I now recognize the significance of ongoing education and development if I want to advance in my career and remain competitive in the job market.
When I think about my career goals, I want to advance into a management position at my current workplace or in a similar industry. Nonetheless, I'm mindful that to accomplish this objective, I should keep on fostering my delicate and specialized abilities. I want to become a valuable asset to my employer and improve as a leader by prioritizing ongoing learning and development.
In conclusion, I now understand that personal growth is a never-ending process that necessitates self-awareness, an openness to new information, and adaptability. I am better able to achieve my career objectives and become a valuable asset to my employer by continuously evaluating my progress and developing a plan for personal development.
References:
- Allen, L.M., Hay, M., Armstrong, E. and Palermo, C., 2020. Applying a social theory of learning to explain the possible impacts of continuing professional development (CPD) programs. Medical Teacher, 42(10), pp.1140-1147.
- Allen, L.M., Palermo, C., Armstrong, E. and Hay, M., 2021. Measuring impacts of continuing professional development (CPD): The development of the CPD impacts survey (CPDIS). Medical Teacher, 43(6), pp.677-685.
- Baumert, A., Schmitt, M., Perugini, M., Johnson, W., Blum, G., Borkenau, P., Costantini, G., Denissen, J.J., Fleeson, W., Grafton, B. and Jayawickreme, E., 2017. Integrating personality structure, personality process, and personality development. European Journal of Personality, 31(5), pp.503-528.
- Emaliana, I., 2017. Teacher-centred or student-centred learning approach to promote learning? Jurnal Sosial Humaniora (JSH), 10(2), pp.59-70.’
- England, H.E., 2017. Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England. London: Health Education England.
- Fakunle, O. and Pirrie, A., 2020. International students’ reflections on employability development opportunities during a one-year masters-level program in the UK. Journal of International Students, 10(S2), pp.86-100.
- Khalid, M.S., Elbæk, L. and Hansen, R.E., 2019. 21st-century employability goals of higher education: Aligning authentic learning goals of courses and self-determination of students. The University of South Denmark, Project Report.
- Landers, R.N., Bauer, K.N. and Callan, R.C., 2017. Gamification of task performance with leaderboards: A goal setting experiment. Computers in Human Behavior, 71, pp.508-515.
- Niati, D.R., Siregar, Z.M.E. and Prayoga, Y., 2021. The effect of training on work performance and career development: the role of motivation as intervening variable. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute (BIRCI-Journal): Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(2), pp.2385-2393.
- Pereira, E.A. and Manaf, N.M.A., 2021. DEVELOPMENT AND ACQUIREMENT OF SOFT SKILLS VIA A ZERO WASTE THEMED EMPLOYER PROJECT. International Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 3(1), pp.188-194.
- Wanna, W.O. and de Jesus Simôes, M.D.F., 2021. Impact of Learning Styles on Higher Distance Learning. Journal of Higher Education Theory & Practice, 21(1).
