Welcome

Introduction

Living in a post-modern world, where globalisation is becoming increasing apparent, has had a significant impact upon employment opportunities across all workplaces (Workplace-Communication, 2010, p. 2). With rapid changes constantly taking place, employers are seeking people that are able to demonstrate an array of professional skills, in which attaining a flexible approach to learning new things is a necessity. The Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) concurs with this when highlighting that ‘the ongoing employability of individuals is dependent on them having a set of relevant skills, as well as a capacity to learn how to learn new things’ (DEST, 2002, p.9). In relation to the education system, attaining these skills are crucial for ongoing employment to occur as teachers are required to continue to renew their professional skills on a regular basis.

As part of my Bachelor of Learning Management (BLM) degree, I have developed many professional skills based around the following graduate attributes;

· Communication

· Information Literacy

· Team work

· Information technology competence

· Problem Solving

· Critical thinking

· Cross- cultural competence

· Ethical Practice

These attributes are designed to ensure graduates are acquiring the skills necessary for employment in the 21^st century. ‘Graduate attributes provide the foundation for students’ employability as well as underlying the development of their human capabilities’ (CQUniversity Australia, 2010, p. 1). These attributes are also heavily aligned with the following Employability Skills for the future framework (Australian Government, 2006, p. 2) including;

· Communication skills that contribute to productive and harmonious relations between employees and customers

· Team work skills that contribute to productive working relationships and outcomes

· Problem solving skills that contribute to productive outcomes

· Initiative and enterprise skills that contribute to innovative outcomes

· Planning and organising skills that contribute to long term and short term strategic planning

· Self-management skills that contribute to employee satisfaction and growth

· Learning skills that contribute to ongoing improvement and expansion in employee and company operations and outcomes

· Technology skills that contribute to effective execution of tasks.

In conjunction with these attributes, are discipline-specific skills that are interwoven throughout all university degrees to prepare graduates in particular areas of their chosen field (CQUniversity Australia, 2010). In association with the BLM program, the discipline- specific skills that I have personally attained coincide with the Professional Standards for Queensland Teachers (Queensland College of Teachers QCOT, 2009) as well as the National Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, [aitsl], 2011). These standards are essential for education graduates to achieve while undertaking their Embedded Professional Learning practices (practicum). The aitsl (2011, p. 2) states that the National Professional Standards for Teachers are ‘ a public statement of what constitutes teacher quality….they define the work of teachers and make explicit the elements of high-quality, effective teaching in 21^st century schools’.

Throughout this blog, I will elaborate on the professional skills I have obtained during my university degree in order to demonstrate my potential to obtain employment within the education field. To do this, I will address the above graduate attributes as well as the discipline-specific skills I have acquired in relation to the both the National and Queensland standards.