Reflective Portfolio: Placement with Sudima Hotels

Introduction and Project (1000 words)

Assessment 3: Reflective Portfolio

Background: So I did a placement with Sudima Hotels as a Talent and Culture Intern and was given a project, that project was to create a Talent and culture standard operating procedures manual. 

Assessment Brief: 

The purpose of a reflective portfolio is to think deeply and critically about your own actions and to construct meaning from your Work Integrated Learning experience. In order to critically reflect on your experience, you must use a model of reflection for each reflection you write, you may use the same model (eg DIEP) or use different models.  Reference the models, tools or resources including critical thinking literature, academic literature and professional publications throughout your reflections. Reflect on the following points, in first person narrative applying a systematic approach to each reflection.

EACH OF THE BELOW REFLECTIONS NEED TO BE DONE BY USING THE DIEP REFLECTION MODEL. 

For the INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT section I have written the reflection it just needs to be in the format of the DIEP Reflection model and a total of 1000 words, I will add my answers above under each section. My answers for the 1. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT need to be altered to follow the DIEP Model more words can be added to accomplish that. 

1. INTRODUCTION AND PROJECT (1000 words)  

• A reflection on why and how you chose your placement organisation

I became particularly interested in Sudima hotels as a hotel is where I hoped to accomplish my placement, I found that the work culture and environment of Sudima Hotels was essentially different from what I would of assumed an office setting would be like. When I initially began my search to secure a work-integrated learning placement, I looked at organizations that I had met and interacted with at the AUT Hospitality and Tourism career fair. Sudima hotels was one of many organizations I had looked into. Although the Sudima Hotels Talent and culture manager, I had then meet had actually ended up leaving their position at the Auckland Sudima hotel to another Sudima hotel in New Zealand. So I was not able to contact her and nor did I know who to contact to request a placement with them. After many emails seeking a placement with organizations, I managed to locate the contact details of the Auckland Sudima hotels Talent and Culture Manager. I then sent her an email to request the possibility of undertaking a placement at Sudima hotels under her leadership. I received a response fairly quickly and was told that I may be able to undertake a placement with Sudima hotels. I met with the Talent and culture Manager and then received the placement confirmation two days later, I literally had gained a placement in the last week that I had to find a placement.

Skills Development (1000 words)

• A reflection about your placement role

I found that during the placement it was a very laidback hotel office environment, although there were certain guidelines for employees to follow I felt like I was working from home that’s just how down to earth and not that strict working at Sudima hotels was. I spent most if not all my time in the admin office area at a desk undertaking tasks given to me by my mentor and working my way through the project that I would be providing Sudima hotels.  

At the start of the placement I felt quite under confidence and awkward coming into a workplace when I have never experiences a hotel workplace; being surrounded by people who were unknown to me so it did not help and that then causes me to feel uncomfortable in this new environment because just based on my attributes and personality it was hard at first to know what I can and can’t do. I realised that I was completing tasks given to me quite fast and that it resulted in making my days during the placement start to become tiring and boring as I was completing what needed to be done before it was time for me to leave. 

• A reflection about the process of developing your project

I  initially had no clue as to what kind of project I could do, or what kind of topic I could look into for Human Resources. I gained some insight by attending the poster presentation of past Work integrated learning students, so that I could have some kind of idea of other kinds of projects that had been done previously. At first I only had thought of doing a training manual project for the placement as it was something I frequently saw and had a vast amount of knowledge on. I although had finalised a project after meeting with my industry mentor who gave me some insight into some of the projects that could be available for me to undertake for the organisation, through the conversation I had I grew interested in standard operating procedures as it was an area that felt unknown to be, as I was not sure if it was ever mentioned during my course of study in the past few years which is why I decided to do a standard operating procedures manual for the talent and culture department of Sudima hotels. 

2. SKILLS DEVELOPMENT (1000 words)

• A reflection on TWO applicable LEARNING goals and how you managed your development. Insert the smart goal (as a table) above each reflection.

• Identify aspects of professional development that would further your career and suggest strategies that you could use, (you may draw on your placement experience or you could review an Human Resource Assistant job description in your field that requires minimum 2 year’s experience)

3. PLACEMENT EXPERIENCE (500 words)

• A reflection on the overall placement experience and how you have adapted within a changing local and global environment

• This may include experience with new software, online tools or communication platforms

• A reflection about your professional meetings, with your industry mentor and academic supervisor.

4. REFERENCES 

• Reference list – support each reflection with external sources