23126Z: PERSONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT

Part 1: TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

Prepared by: Pn. Noor Zilawati Sabtu Jabatan Sains Kuantitatif KPM Beranang

JUL DIS 2011

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
Generic (or general) transferable skills are those skills, abilities and personal attributes which you can use in a wide range of activities, both in and out of employment, and that are not specific to the subject you studied. There exist many transferable skills, but most can be summarized under four main headings: communication and presentation skills (oral, written and graphic); teamwork or interpersonal skills (e.g. negotiating, listening, sharing, empathizing); management or organizing and planning skills (including self management skills such as integrity, honesty and ethical behavior); and intellectual and creative skills (such as problem solving and 'thinking beyond the square'). Skills that you have developed in a specific subject area at university (e.g. sociology, psychology, archaeology) may be transferred from that context into another (e.g. another topic or a community role or a employment-related task).

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS AN EXAMPLE

Let's discuss that more fully though the example of writing. The ability to communicate effectively in writing is an example of a transferable skill area that you may have develop through different kinds of exercise at university. These could include those assignments that require you to write essays, fieldwork reports, laboratory reports, or text for posters. Whilst you may develop your ability to communicate in writing in a particular context (for example, within your particular disciplinary area or within the context of university assignments) your various abilities can be transferred across (used in) several contexts. You will probably find that you need to, or will, develop these skills to progressively higher levels in your work and community life to produce, for example, policy papers, annual reports, published articles, or books and to present your ideas at conferences, board meetings or public forums.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS THE IMPORTANCE

Why are they important? 1. Transferable skills empower you to use and effectively apply the specific knowledge you develop through higher education. For example, expertise with 'MS-Excel' or 'SPSS' enables you to use and present discipline-specific data effectively. 2. Transferable skills enable you to perform different work or professional roles from those for which you have been educated. For example, welldeveloped transferable skills might allow the social work professional to move from social work practice into hospital policy. 3. Transferable skills are mutually supportive. For example, interpersonal skills (such as how well you listen) are often closely connected to your ability to communicate effectively (such as how much impact your written or spoken word has on others).

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS THE IMPORTANCE

What do employers say about transferable skills? Employers often differ as to the skills they expect of graduates as well as the way they prioritise those skills. Many major employers also have their own competency-based system for recruitment, in-house training and promotion decisions. For example, in its recruitment and promotion decisions, one large, well-known firm operating in Australia focuses on six 'Personal Qualities', in particular: 1. personal impact. This means having presence and credibility, making a strong impact, being good with words, and having polished communication skills and influence. 2. relating to people. Are you an effective relationship builder and networker, who can empathise, consult, listen, respect, give consideration, use tact and diplomacy, who can promote consensus and is concerned about team spirit?

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS THE IMPORTANCE

CONTINUE 3. self motivation. The self-motivated person is someone who readily tackles demanding tasks, willingly offers to get involved, and seeks out new/extra responsibilities. 4. quality orientation. Are you someone who takes pride in the quality of your work and are seen by others to have integrity and business ethics? 5.adaptability. This refers to the ability to respond appropriately to continually changing circumstances. It suggests a person who welcomes suggestions for doing things differently and is regarded by others as being open to change. 6. Resilience. This means being able to cope with stress, work under pressure, show stamina and tenacity whilst remaining stays cool headed.

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS THE IMPORTANCE

CONTINUE What transferable skills do you have? You may be one of those fortunate people who has a well-developed sense of your own abilities and the ability to make those known to other people. However, because transferable skills are often developed implicitly within university topics, some students and graduates do not realize the extent to which they have developed skills through study and other aspects of university life (e.g. part-time work, extracurricular activities). Very often, this problem becomes most evident when graduates respond to requests for information from prospective employers at the end of their studies.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
CONTINUE What transferable skills do you have? You may be one of those fortunate people who has a well-developed sense of your own abilities and the ability to make those known to other people. However, because transferable skills are often developed implicitly within university topics, some students and graduates do not realize the extent to which they have developed skills through study and other aspects of university life (e.g. part-time work, extracurricular activities). Very often, this problem becomes most evident when graduates respond to requests for information from prospective employers at the end of their studies.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
Transferable skills 'menu There are a number of activities which you may undertake, both at KPM Beranang and outside - for example, in the workplace, as a community volunteer, in a social or sports club and within the family - from which you can draw to create your own transferable skills 'portfolio'. The experiences you encounter on- and off-campus will enable you to develop these skills both at a basic and advanced level. It is important to remember that development of your portfolio of skills is a lifelong process. You will not encounter the experiences you require to develop all skills in each topic or extracurricular activity you undertake. Your skill development will occur over time, through the many activities you undertake, and in developmental stages, from the attainment of a basic level of competence in particular skills to more advanced achievement. The following 'menu' of transferable skills elaborates those skills KPM Beranang expects of its graduates.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
Continue The menu outlines what those skills mean and suggests some activities ('sources of opportunity') in which you might develop them. You will be able to draw on these 'sources of opportunity' to demonstrate (provide evidence of) your own achievements in your skills portfolio. It is important to note that the menu is neither comprehensive nor prescriptive. It is meant instead to be a guide to help you reflect on the level of competence you have achieved in each of the four main skill areas. 1. Communication and presentation skills 2. Teamwork or interpersonal skills 3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including selfmanagement) 4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills

DEVELOPING SKILLS
1. Communication and presentation skills
Having communication and presentation skills means being able to express ideas and information either in written form (e.g. on paper, on computer, using graphics) or orally. Communication skills are often closely connected to interpersonal skills (e.g. your sensitivity to others, enthusiasm, how well you listen).

DEVELOPING SKILLS
1. Communication and presentation skills
Having communication and presentation skills means being able to: Speak in an interesting way, with confidence, formally and informally, on a one-to-one basis and/or in a group setting. Present ideas effectively in a formal situation using appropriate technological aids to understanding (e.g. overhead projectors, slides, video, or audio cassettes, computer applications). Articulate relevant ideas and opinions in discussion. Use and define terms adequately/correctly. Communicate appropriately with professional colleagues and with the public, displaying sensitivity to the needs of the audience being addressed. Give and receive constructive feedback. Utilise a foreign (non English) language.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
1. Communication and presentation skills Continue
Sources of opportunity to develop your communication and presentation skills include: Contributing to small group (tutorial and seminar) discussions. Giving a tutorial, seminar or conference presentation. Involvement in public speaking groups, debating clubs, political associations; chairing meetings; participating in role playing exercises. Contributing to public forum discussions. Participating in exercises where you are required to provide feedback to other students' work-in-progress presentations, or to their tutorial presentations. Some people may have developed their feedback skills to an advanced level through their work experiences (e.g. in assessing the reports, theses, or fieldwork of others). Undertaking formal foreign language tuition. Developing your foreign language skills experientially (e.g. through using a [non-English] language at home/with friends). DIY foreign language tuition (e.g. self teaching through tapes/CD ROMs).

DEVELOPING SKILLS
1. Communication and presentation skills Continue
Writing/report writing skills
Having writing/report writing skills means being able to: Write/report findings in a grammatically correct, well reasoned, succinct and structured manner. Cite information sources correctly. Use appropriate terminology. Use relevant graphics (e.g. graphs, charts, pictures, maps) as part of an argument or in a report. Use relevant numerical and statistical information as part of an argument or in a report. Sources of opportunity to develop your writing and report writing skills include: Producing essays, project reports, thesis/dissertations, poster presentations at conferences. Subject-specific appropriate terminology will be developed over time as you develop your subject knowledge competence. Writing, including report-writing skills, may also be developed in the workplace. Use of numerical and statistical information will be developed by preparing and using flow charts, maps, graphs, tables, grids, formulae etc. and by calculating sizes, distances, amounts, speeds, gradients and so on.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
1. Communication and presentation skills Continue
Word processing and other computer skills Having word processing and other computer skills means being able to: Use word processing packages and other applications to present visual and written information. Employ other Information Technology (IT) skills appropriate to your work context such as databases, spreadsheets, GIS, and WWW design. Use e-mail, the internet, electronic library catalogues, and other information retrieval systems.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
1. Communication and presentation skills Continue
Sources of opportunity to develop your word processing and other computer skills include: Using software such as 'Word', 'Word Perfect', and 'PowerPoint' for simple letter writing or to present essays, tutorials, theses, and to support oral presentations. Integrating IT tools into your research/work by making use of (or creating) databases and spreadsheets (e.g. using SPSS for statistical analysis of research data); Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Using e-mail for communicating with friends or tutors, to request information or send documents, or to establish mailing lists. Using the internet to retrieve information (e.g. using WWW to get details of university topic materials and other Flinders-related information or by undertaking simple or complex WWW searches for research. Using the library's on-line catalogue (Investigator) or other University's catalogues (e.g. Universities of Adelaide, South Australia) or other electronic resources (e.g. data bases such as Ovid, FirstSearch or Lexis Nexis) for research purposes.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills This set of skills enables people to manage their relationships with other people. They are the skills used to deal with others and include, for example, negotiating, reasoning, explaining, listening, directing, accepting direction, sharing and being open, handling and resolving conflict, being assertive, empathising, networking, and getting on with all sorts of people. Someone with teamwork skills will have the ability to work in a team environment, including those environments where the team is made up of a variety of people and disciplines.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills Continue
Capacity for cooperation and teamwork

Having the capacity for cooperation and teamwork means being able to: Listen effectively to, and cooperate and work with, others; and to incorporate a 'give and take' attitude to achieve group results. Present, discuss, and defend views as well as negotiate solutions when opinions differ within a group setting. Share ideas and responsibility. Understand your own and others' role in a group. Recognise and utilise skills and knowledge of team members. Recognise your own strengths and limitations as well as those of others. Take initiative in a group where appropriate. Accept direction.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills Continue.
Capacity for cooperation and teamwork

Sources of opportunity to develop your cooperative and teamwork skills include: Participating in small groups (tutorials, workshops) and in group work and group projects (at University, in the workplace or the community). Being involved in activities where consensus is sought (making decisions with others) or where members' values require clarification (where members have/may have different value assumptions). Undertaking the facilitating role in tutorials/meetings in which you participate.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills Continue. Management and supervisory skills Having management and supervisory skills means: Being able to lead or represent a group where appropriate. This requires being able to think strategically (to achieve an overall goal), listen, give direction (e.g. establish an agenda [prioritised]), make unpopular decisions, operate under stress, supervise, motivate and encourage others, delegate, promote productive cooperation, and represent the views of others. Having the capacity to manage people and resolve conflicts. Being able to manage group resources. Being able to develop networks and make contact with new people.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills Continue. Management and supervisory skills Sources of opportunity to develop your management and supervisory skills include: Being a project leader or research team leader. Undertaking a leadership position of a social, sporting or community group. Being employed in an supervisory position at work. Being a student representative on University committees (e.g. ConCom). Involvement in group projects or negotiation exercises. Management of family finances, of social/sporting/community group or business finances (e.g. as Treasurer). Networking/making new contacts at conferences, meetings.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills Continue. Capacity to appreciate different viewpoints and cultural perspectives Having the capacity to appreciate different viewpoints and cultural perspectives means being able to: Understand group dynamics within and between groups, institutions, or companies. Empathise with, and appreciate, differences arising from language, culture, social history, opportunity or place. Work successfully in multi-disciplinary and cross cultural settings.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
2. Teamwork and Interpersonal Skills Continue. Capacity to appreciate different viewpoints and cultural perspectives Sources of opportunity to develop your capacity to appreciate different viewpoints and cultural perspectives include: Working in groups Studying topics with a global perspective, which provide some understanding of how the world works economically, culturally, and ecologically. Participating in multi-disciplinary teams or in tutorials associated with cross-disciplinary topics. Being involved in exercises/situations which involve exchanges between people from different cultures, language groups, regions, and social backgrounds. Travelling.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) People with management and planning skills have the ability to organise their work, work out priorities sensibly, make realistic plans, and manage time and resources effectively. They are able to work on high priority tasks first and to delegate roles to other people. People with personal management skills have self-discipline, are able to motivate themselves, work with minimum supervision, be punctual and professional, and will be characterised by integrity, honesty and ethical behaviour. Self-management skills also include the ability to cope well with change (e.g. being able to learn new skills and procedures, being prepared to challenge basic assumptions, being adaptable).

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) Continue.
Capacity to work with minimum supervision Having the capacity to work with minimum supervision means: Being self-reliant yet also knowing when to ask for help Being an independent thinker Being able to manage or organise yourself Having the self confidence to know what you are doing is appropriate and of high standard Behaving ethically despite the absence of any other members of your moral community Accepting responsibility for your own work and acts Carrying the moral community into your self-management (good citizenship) Taking initiative for your own learning Doing what you say you will do despite the obstacles (integrity and perseverance)

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) Continue
Capacity to work with minimum supervision Sources of opportunity to develop your capacity to work with minimum supervision include: Undertaking thesis/dissertation/individual project research. Active participation in the opportunities for learning offered through topics you undertake. Maintaining a reflective journal.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) Continue
Time management Being able to time manage means being able to: Spread your workload/balance your workload between university commitments/ family/employment. Work to deadlines. Set realistic time frameworks for achievement of goals. Deal efficiently and quickly with tasks. Sources of opportunity to develop your time management skills include: Completing assignments by their due date. Revising for examinations. Completing recommended reading for each topic.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) Continue
Management/supervisory skills Having management/supervisory skills means being able to: Set and recognise priorities, sort out what is important and what is urgent (ranking of priorities). Ration scarce financial and other resources amongst competing claims. Establish course(s) of action to meet specific goals - to plan realistically, design strategies, implement plans/strategies, have contingency plans, monitor, evaluate (show a clear and attainable framework for achievement). Sources of opportunity to develop your management/supervisory skills include: Planning and organising activities involving more than one person (e.g. conferences, group projects). Strategic planning activities (through workplace/community groups). Designing, planning and completing essays or a thesis.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) Continue
Adaptability/capacity to cope with change Being adaptable/having the capacity to cope with change means being able to: Deal with the unexpected, cope with change and be prepared to act in new ways. Learn new skills and procedures. Transfer skills learned in one context to another. Deal appropriately with ambiguity. Think laterally, which may involve finding new ways to approach problems. Be prepared to challenge/ question basic assumptions about the ways things are done/ have been done. Treat new situations as opportunities rather than impediments. Assess and reflect on one's own actions and learn from the mistakes of others (i.e. have a lifelong approach to learning). Accept and provide constructive feedback.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
3. Managing or organising/planning skills (including self-management) Continue
Adaptability/capacity to cope with change Sources of opportunity to develop your adaptability and change management skills include: Undertaking study/activities to enable changes in career direction. Taking advantage of any available opportunities to learn new skills or procedures (including in-house training in your place of employment). Taking advantage of learning opportunities in work placements. Modifying oral or written presentations on basis of assessor comments. Coping with unusual or new approaches to teaching and learning (e.g. WebCT). Dealing appropriately with different kinds of advice about strategies for essay writing, poster-presentation or citing sources Coping with group-work situations from which some participants withdraw.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills People also need broad intellectual and creative skills that can be applied to ideas, to practical problems, to research, designing strategies or to making policy. These skills include being able to observe and record; to summarise, assess and evaluate evidence; apply your judgement and discrimination; think laterally, to be pro-active and to have the capacity for 'vision' (to "think beyond the square").

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills Continue
Analytical/problem solving skills Having analytical/problem solving skills means being able to: Think logically and critically (critical reasoning) and to apply this to a range of problems. Identify/define researchable questions in the discipline or professional area. This might involve identifying issues, formulate questions or hypotheses, identify the complexity of issue(s) using your subject knowledge. Sources of opportunity to develop your analytical, problem solving skills include: Writing essays, answering assigned questions. Undertaking analytical laboratory work. Active participation in workshops oriented to problem posing, solving, and reporting. Contributing to group research tasks, 'brain-storming' or cause and effect diagramming activities and the like.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills Continue
Capacity to make decisions Having the capacity to make decisions means being able to: Weigh up the relative merits of, and come to conclusions based on, contradictory or incomplete information. Use existing knowledge in new/different situations and be able to evaluate what is relevant to that new context. Know who, when and what to consult. Recognise the implications of various options to an overall plan/strategy. Sources of opportunity to develop your decision making skills include: Voting at meetings. Being involved in University committees (e.g. ConCom). Choosing which topics suit your chosen career trajectory. Making judgements about moral/humanitarian issues in an essay, poster, talk or thesis.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills Continue
Ability to think creatively Having an ability to think creatively means being able to: Provide novel solutions; to be imaginative and have insight. Maximise the range of opportunities available to you. Take new approaches - look for new angles, evidence. Use a variety of sources and resources in the research process. Think independently. Show entrepreneurial flair. Sources of opportunity to develop your creative thinking ability include: Considering thoughtfully those new ideas/concepts/theories in your subject area to which you are introduced. Being involved in brain storming activities or focus group discussions. Undertaking independent research. Completing assignments to a high standard. Securing your own work placement.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills Continue Adequacy of knowledge in appropriate fields Having adequate (specialised) knowledge and skills in the appropriate field means: Being able to acquire and operate effectively with and upon a body of knowledge to the extent of being ready to begin further study or employment. Understanding a whole disciplinary or professional area (its content and range, paradigms, conceptual basis, limitations and boundaries, relationship to other frameworks) Possessing an understanding of current research areas in the discipline or professional area.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills Continue Adequacy of knowledge in appropriate fields Sources of opportunity to develop your specialised subject knowledge and skills include: Regular attendance at, and attendance to the subject matter of, scheduled lectures/tutorials. Active participation where appropriate in planned activities (e.g. field trips). Completion of assignments. Active reading of the literature in your subject area. Maintenance of a reflective journal (cumulative record of learning process, student reactions and responses). Membership of professional organisations.

DEVELOPING SKILLS
4. Intellectual (analytical, design or problem solving) and creative skills Continue
Ability to apply knowledge to the workplace Having an ability to apply knowledge to the workplace means being: Workplace 'savvy' (knowing and politics and culture of your organisation, as well as the devices, techniques, codes and practices used in that workplace). Able to apply theory/concepts to practical situations and provide workable solutions or advice. Sources of opportunity to develop your ability to apply knowledge to the workplace include: Gaining workplace experience (part-time work/ placements as part fulfilment of your course requirements). Developing recommendations arising from research project or thesis research. Undertaking fieldwork. Undertaking case studies and simulation exercises.