Run by School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering

10.000 Credits or 5.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 1 & 2

This module is meant to lay the foundation for professional development. It will guide students with their experience gained from the workplace, education and personal lives and turn them into practical strategies for personal, professional and organisational growth.

Indicative content includes:

Communications

• Identify the purpose of the communication, the audience and the outcomes to be achieved. Decide which method of communication to use and the level of formality required
• Make concise, engaging and well-structured verbal presentations, arguments and explanations of varying lengths, with and without the use of media, always considering the audience viewpoint
• Competent in active listening, appreciating others views and contributions
• Give and receive feedback by constructively applying appropriate techniques and incorporate it into his/her own development and life-long learning
• Effectively prepare and deliver presentations using relevant presentation media products and the use of appropriate visualisations and images to present information and ideas clearly and convincingly
• Be fluent in written communications with the ability to articulate complex issues, selecting an appropriate structure and with appropriate tone, style and language
• Be competent at promoting, questioning, negotiating and closing techniques in a range of interactions and engagements, both with internal and external stakeholders
• Prepare for and chair effective meetings with clear agendas and defined outcomes, keeping to time, and preparing clear outcomes or ‘meeting minutes’ in a timely manner

Personal attributes

• Be creative, self-motivated, resilient, self-aware and able to reflect on successes and failures in ways that strengthen positive attitude and develop self-reliance through an understanding of their own personal preferences, styles, strengths and weaknesses
• Can identify the preferences, motivations, strengths and limitations of other people and apply these insights to work more effectively with and to motivate others
• Can understand the outputs from and apply insights by using personal profiling tools such as Myers Briggs Type Indicator or Kirton Adaption/Innovation Indicator
• Can put forward, demonstrate value and gain commitment to a moderately complex technology-oriented solution, demonstrating understanding of business need, using open questions and summarising skills and basic negotiating skills
• Apply analytical and critical thinking skills to engineering solutions development
• Analyse problems rigorously to develop options, and select an option appropriately taking into consideration relevant factors such as risk, opportunities, cost, environmental issues, and fitness for purpose.

Professional attributes

• Capability to deal with different, competing interests within and outside the organisation and work under pressure
• Deal with discord and confrontation including conducting difficult conversations
• Conduct effective research using literature and other media, into engineering and business-related topics
• Gather information from people using a variety of techniques including interviewing
• Have gained an understanding of performance evaluation tools and can demonstrate competence in designing and applying performance evaluation tools (e.g. 360-degree feedback)
• Have gained an understanding of the importance of learning strategies and techniques in own development, life-long learning and for corporate learning and development
• Understand the principles of personal development planning, and create, implement and maintain a personal development portfolio and a personal action plan
• Understand the importance of acting with personal and professional integrity while always remaining focused and disciplined

Team working

• Plan and implement own work goals, objectives, priorities and responsibilities with others
• Understand how to motivate others and get the best from people
• Within the team, communicate identify different abilities and potential and show respect for individuals
• Understand how high performing teams work effectively to produce engineering solutions, work with team members to identify and solve problems and disagreements, share feedback with others on the achievement of team objectives and making promoting improving team-working
• Understanding of the importance of applying effective work habits, and leadership, providing clarity, direction and accountability and proactively acting when necessary
• Understand leadership theory, and different leadership styles and models

excellent

Equivalent to the range 70%+. Assemble critically evaluated, relevent areas of knowledge and theory to constuct professional-level solutions to tasks and questions presented. Is able to cross-link themes and aspects to draw considered conclusions. Presents outputs in a cohesive, accurate, and efficient manner.

good

Equivalent to the range 60%-69%. Is able to analyse a task or problem to decide which aspects of theory and knowledge to apply. Solutions are of a workable quality, demonstrating understanding of underlying principles. Major themes can be linked appropriately but may not be able to extend this to individual aspects. Outputs are readily understood, with an appropriate structure but may lack sophistication.

threshold

Equivalent to 40%. Uses key areas of theory or knowledge to meet the Learning Outcomes of the module. Is able to formulate an appropriate solution to accurately solve tasks and questions. Can identify individual aspects, but lacks an awareness of links between them and the wider contexts. Outputs can be understood, but lack structure and/or coherence.

1. Recognise current personal and professional attributes and suggest methods to align them with the 'ideal' engineer.

2. Judge current abilities to work independently and within a group, and recognise improvements to become a more effective member of an organisation.

3. Evaluate current level of communication skills and devise plans to improve them.

Type	Name	Description	Weight
	Communications Skills Portfolio		35.00
	Professional/Personal Attributes Portfolio		35.00
	Team & Independent Working Portfolio		30.00

		Hours
Practical classes and workshops	A series of interactive lectures, seminars, workshops, web-based learning, problem solving exercises, individual and group activities and linked tutorials. Consideration of case study materials, journals and guest speakers will form an important part of the delivery illustrating the application of themes to real-world situations.	30
Private study	Tutor-directed private study, including individual assessments.	70

• Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
• Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
• Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
• Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
• Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
• Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
• Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
• Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others
• Leadership - Able to lead and manage, develop action plans and objectives, offer guidance and direction to others, and cope with the related pressures such authority can result in

• Apply an understanding and appreciation of continuous improvement techniques
• Agree objectives and work plans with individuals;
• Appreciate the importance of designing products with due regard to good laboratory practice, health and safety considerations and ethical issues.
• Use both verbal and written communication skills to different target audiences;
• Communicate proposals persuasively and respond positively to feedback;
• Demonstrate an awareness of current advances and contemporary approaches in the discipline and have strategies for keeping that awareness current;
• Have an appreciation of moral, ethical, financial and environmental issues that may need to be considered when practicing as an engineer.¬†

Compulsory in courses:

• H623: BSc Appd Electrical/Electron Eng Sys (Degree Apprenticeship) year 2 (BSC/AEEES)
• H301: BSc Appd Mechanical Engineering Systems (Deg Apprenticeship) year 2 (BSC/AMES)