Accounting, employability and commercial awareness

Assessment 2

NOVEMBER 7, 2022
Geoff evans - 123456
Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Work-based Learning.........................................................................................................................2
Job opportunities...............................................................................................................................3
Accounting – key requirements – Week 9.............................................................................................3
Self-promotion......................................................................................................................................3
Critical reflection...................................................................................................................................3
Gibbs reflective Cycle........................................................................................................................4
Description........................................................................................................................................4
Feelings..............................................................................................................................................4
Evaluation..........................................................................................................................................4
Analysis..............................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................5
Action Plan.........................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................................5
Appendices............................................................................................................................................5
Bibliography...........................................................................................................................................5

1
Introduction
 Within your introduction explain to the reader what you will covering – contained in
the assessment brief
 This should include a discussion on the topic of work-based learning and its
relevance to personal and professional development.

Work-based Learning
“Work based learning within higher education can be seen as bridging the divide between
concepts of higher education as learning for work and HE as learning for life” (Little, 2000, p.
133).
(Little, 2000) goes on to say that undergraduates who have had some experience of work-
based learning will already be familiar learning in employment and will have developed
some levels of confidence in the own ability. Furthermore (Silva, P., Lopes, B., Costa, M. et
al. 2016) suggest that HEI’s should embrace the challenges internships create that do help
students to develop their ‘personal stairway into employment’.
Why internships and placements are a popular route to employment | The Independent | The
Independent

“Work based learning involves learning through work, learning for work and/or learning at work”
(QAA, 2018, p. 1). Worked based learning within higher education courses in the synergy between
education providers and employers to create learning opportunities for their students (QAA, 2018)

WBL can take place within an educational setting or within the workplace and can include (QAA,
2018):

 Working on live briefs or projects

 Structured work placements or internships
 Paid or unpaid work undertaken in non-employed settings, such as student ambassadors or
voluntary work activities
 Apprenticeships or on the job training “where employment provide students with the
opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to achieve professional
competence (QAA, 2018, p. 6)

All WBL requires a partnership and formal agreement between education providers, employers, and
students in setting out the nature of the WBL and roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders
involved.

Students who take part in internship placements have an advantage in the job market, “which can
translate into being hired for jobs with the relevant experience acquired, (Knouse & Fontenot, 2011)
Knouse, Tanner and Harris (1999) fond that students who had completed internship placements
found jobs more quickly that those that didn’t (Knouse & Fontenot, 2011, p. 61). Several studies
show the positive aspects of work experience, especially when related to the subject area including
building contacts and networks for career purposes, resume building and informed decision-making
into available career pathways (Jackson & Tomlinson, 2022)

Job opportunities
 It should also include an introduction to job opportunities available within
Accounting and Financial Services (AFS).

2
Work-based Learning (qaa.ac.uk)

Accounting – key requirements – Week 9

Provide an outline of the key requirements of becoming an accountant; professionalism,
ethical factors, and the importance of continuous professional development (CPD)
 What does ICAEW/ACCA or CIMA say about code of ethics?
 What the 5 key fundamental principles and how do we ensure we adhere to them –
CPD etc
 What are the threats?

Self-promotion
Analyse the importance of self-promotion and the methods used. Evaluate the key aspects
of a CV and LinkedIn profile (both within your appendices).
 What are the key elements of your CV and LinkedIn profile – within your appendices

Critical reflection
Use Gibbs by explain the model and apply to the assessment:

Gibbs reflective Cycle

What is it? Explain what it is….

Developed in 1988 by Graham Gibbs to give structure to experiences, allowing you to learn
and plan that went well or in need of improvement. It cover 6 stages:
• Description
• Feelings
• Evaluation

3
 • Analysis
• Conclusion
• Action Plan
University of Edinburgh (2022). Gibbs Reflective Cycle. Gibbs' Reflective Cycle | The
University of Edinburgh

Description
What is the AECA module all about – getting you ready for the world of work with a view to
producing an action plan based on your skills and areas for development

Feelings
How did you feel when working through the module, your presentation, report, and commercial
awareness with reference to your employability skills?

Evaluation
The AECA module is to help students prepare themselves for the world of work, so I did enjoy
aspects of the module, in particular the group presentation where we worked well as a team and
achieved a good overall grade. Though I am used to doing reports at college I haven’t had to do any
academic writing that required us to reference our work in a proper manner. I feel my time
management could have been better and my referencing needs to improve. Good things were the
teamwork and the first assessment, the bad things are really to do with the number of deadlines we
have to meet.

Analysis
Is there anything else you can relate to the experience, with a special focus on the skills
audits: Skills Wheel, Employability Assessment form and Excel audit. What are they and how
do you feel about the scores?

Conclusion
What have you learnt about yourself having completed the audits?
“This is where you summarise your learning and highlight what changes to your actions
could improve the outcome in the future. It should be a natural response to the previous
sections”. University of Edinburgh, (2022) Focus on your skills and areas for development
AND the AECA module as a whole

Action Plan
Helpful questions:
• If I had to do the same thing again, what would I do differently?
• How will I develop the required skills I need?
• How can I make sure that I can act differently next time?

Conclusion
A summary of key points

4
Appendices
CV

LinkedIn Profile

Skills Wheel and Employability document

Excel Skills Audit

Bibliography
Jackson, J., & Tomlinson, M. (2022). he relative importance of work experience, extra-curricular and
university-based activities on student employability. Routledge Group. Retrieved from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/07294360.2021.1901663?needAccess=true

Knouse, S., & Fontenot, G. (2011). Benefits of the business college internship. Jornal of Employment
Conseling, 45, 61-66. doi:https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/j.2161-
1920.2008.tb00045.x

Little, B. (2000). Undergraduates Work based learning and Skills Development. Retrieved from
file:///C:/Users/bns536/OneDrive%20-%20University%20of%20Salford/Documents/
Accounting,%20Commercial%20Awareness%20and%20Employability/Assessments%20and
%20moderation/Assessment%202%20resources/
little_team_Undergraduatesworkbasedlearningandskillsdevelopment

QAA. (2018). UK Quality Code for Higher Education. Work-based Learning. QualityAssurance Agency.
doi:https://www.qaa.ac.uk/docs/qaa/quality-code/advice-and-guidance-work-based-
learning.pdf?sfvrsn=f625c181_2#:~:text=Work%2Dbased%20learning%20for
%20higher,organisations%20to%20create%20learning%20opportunities.

Silva, P., Lopes, B., & al, e. (n.d.). 2016.