After completing four years of Uni, I feel confident that I have gained the skills necessary to contribute to whichever sector of the job force I enter. The skills and achievements that give you a greater chance of landing a job in a competitive market are called employability skills. I hope that on the completion of your university experience you will know that you have a wide range of employability skills that will make you an asset to any establishment.
In every activity you pursue you gain skills that you sometimes fail to notice. This was true of me until I completed BU’s Student Development Award (SDA). The SDA requires you to reflect on a set of activities you undertake and state how you are personally enhanced by them. For me, this proved to be a very enlightening experience!
For instance, I absolutely love playing cricket. But how has being a member of the Bournemouth University Cricket Club (BUCC) equipped me with skills to help me be an asset after uni? Cricket is just a bit of fun, isn’t it?! Well, my idea of fun. On closer examination however, I realised obvious attributes such as team work and communication under pressure were developed. Additionally, the requirements of training three times a week alongside academic commitments ensured my time management and prioritization skills were constantly engaged.
Cricket is one example out of a plethora of activities I undertook at BU that has promoted my personal growth. It is important to note I never did an activity for the sake of CV enhancement. I think that is completely the wrong way to go about developing yourself. That would make uni a burden. Believe me, academic work may sometimes be tiresome, so you need to ensure extra-curricular activities undertaken are as uplifting as possible! Go about doing things you like, experimenting with new things, but the key activity is to ensure after completion you reflect your experience. What did you learn about yourself? What did you like about the activity? What did this activity require that allowed you to be successful? Did you resolve any problems? What can be improved for next time?
I assure you, if this is consistently done, when you are required to write a CV you will not feel at a loss over what to include! You are much more than you think you are. I genuinely believe this.
Furthermore, the academic aspect of university requires you to think differently than you would otherwise. Your skills of critical analysis, especially, are constantly exercised. This has affected me profoundly. Whenever I read a news article, for instance, I always try to make arguments for and against what is being presented even if I agree with the writer’s point of view. However, if I find I completely agree, I would read the comments section hoping to find someone who disagrees so I can see the facts through a different lens. Being able to view facts from various points of views is an invaluable skill that enables creativity, which is priceless!
I encourage you to embrace the mental challenges of your coursework! This world would be a much better place if everyone critically evaluated information they are presented with.
It is very sad to think this is my final blog EVER… well as a BU Undergraduate student. Nevertheless, activities such as this have all contributed to me having a varied, productive and rewarding time at BU. Hopefully, one of you reading this will be my replacement and experience how fun it is to communicate your experiences to an audience!
Peace!
By Carlyle Collins
