Challenges and Issues of Target Industry/Profession: Critical Evaluation and Implications for Postgr

Module Learning Outcomes (MLOs)

1. Have identified your strengths, weaknesses and subsequent areas of development in relation to what employers seek in postgraduate students (E&CI Strand- assessed in this assignment)

2. Critically review and develop their inter-personal and intra-personal skills (E&CI Strand- assessed in this assignment)

3. Critically analyse and communicate complex issues effectively (BI Strand)

4. Demonstrate decision making, problem solving and project management skills (BI Strand)

In no more than 2.000 words, you are required to develop an academic essay consolidating your knowledge and understanding of issues and challenges facing your target profession/industry/sector.

1. Using a range of relevant literature (both academic and professional sources), identify and critically evaluate contemporary issues and challenges facing your target profession/industry/sector. This is worth 40% of the overall marks- approx. 1,500 words.

• Provide a clear introduction to your target profession/industry/sector (e.g., a graduate development scheme, self-employment, working for your family’s business, a promotion with your current employer, etc). You should highlight if this will be in the UK, your home country or elsewhere.

• Identify key challenges and issues relating to your chosen profession/industry/sector. This may include professional body viewpoints, recent organisation case studies and published academic studies. You may also include a combination of challenges and issues facing the wider profession/industry/sector as well as those facing postgraduates.

• You are not required to identify a specific number of issues and challenges, these will differ depending on the profession/industry/sector in question. We are looking for evidence of critical evaluation of these issues and challenges, supported with credible academic and professional sources.

• Provide a succinct conclusion, indicating the impact of these challenges and difficulties for your target profession/industry/sector moving forward.

• You must identify a specific role/industry/sector. ‘I would like to work in marketing’ is too broad.

2. Through a short reflective statement, consider the implications of these challenges and issues for you and your subsequent career in this industry/sector. This is worth 20% of the overall marks- approx. 500 words

• In light of the challenges and difficulties you have identified, what personal implications can you discern which will need to be addressed moving forward?

• We are looking for evidence of your awareness and understanding of the theory/cases/literature you have discussed in your essay.

• You may wish to focus your reflections on challenges and issues you have discussed in your essay which you feel will have significant implications for your career in this industry/sector (in comparison with others). You should explain why these particular challenges/issues are of key concern for you, supported with evidence.

Alongside your essay, you are required to submit a short video clip outlining how you will address these issues and challenges in your post-graduation role. This is worth 40% of the overall marks [MLO1 & 2]

• Your 500 word reflective statement demonstrated your understanding and awareness of these challenges and difficulties for you and your career in this profession/industry/sector. Your video clip should build on this, explaining how you will practically address these concerns moving forward.

• Your video clip should summarise your strengths, weaknesses and subsequent areas for development; this should be supported with evidence (e.g., practical examples from work/study/hobbies/travel, your experience and feedback from the E&CI development workshop, and your psychometric test results/other diagnostics).

• You need to explicitly refer back to the implications you have identified in your 500 word reflective statement. In light of your strengths, weaknesses and areas for development, how may you respond to these challenges? You must identify specific ‘next steps’/action points.

• Ensure that you are dressed professionally (for example, in clothes you would wear to a job interview) and that you are in an appropriate setting.