Unit 17 Work Based Learning Assignment

Introduction

Learning that is acquired and implemented while working or at work is said to be Work Based Learning. This gives a great exposure to the people as they tend to gain learning with a practical implementation. There have been many companies which are working towards the development of their internal as well as external customers through Work Based Learning. This assignment is based on the implementation of Work Based Learning. The Job Profile that is chosen is Loss Assessor and Surveyor. This is a profile that prevails in the insurance and loss surveying sector. Based on this job profile, all the questions would be answered. Unit 17 Work Based Learning Assignment comprises of 4 Tasks. The discussion would be on the job description of loss assessor and surveyor. Based on this job description, the work based learning and its techniques are implemented and enforced among the team of loss assessors.

TASK 1

Choose a job description, or a job of your choice, or a business plan and answer the following questions.

The Job Description that is being chosen for answering the questions in this task is a Loss Assessor and Surveyor. Being a loss assessor, a person has got certain responsibilities and duties that he needs to perform. Work Based Learning and various related techniques and processes help in the acquiring of knowledge and learning pertaining to this specific area. This profile has relevance in the insurance and the surveying sector. We will consider the surveyor description to answer the questions in this task.

P 1.1 Research and Evaluate suitable organizations that could provide industry experience.

Loss Assessor and Surveyor is a person whose profile could not be found or developed in every industry. This is the profile that is relevant in the insurance and loss assessing sector. This is the company that acts as a third party and helps in the assessment of the loss or the damage that has occurred in the catastrophe. This loss assessor is being appointed by the insurance company to assess the hefty amounts that the insurance has to pay to the client or the customer for whom the loss has occurred. Loss assessor cannot be everyone. This profile required a specific skill set and qualifications that will help him become a certified assessor or a surveyor. There is a requirement of taking the certification and doing the course his requires specific skill set or the knowledge on the industry and documentation. Surveyor needs to have more experience in order to make estimation of the loss that has happened.

I have done a course in loss assessment and surveying and even obtained a certification from regulatory authority in Insurance in UK. This has given me an additional qualification to apply for any kind of estimation of loss in the catastrophe and even obtain the loss that has happened in the event. I have gained exposure and can apply the work based learning on the surveying sector or the insurance companies for getting the loss files processed (Arends & Castle, 1991).

Surveyor required additional qualification of understanding the local languages besides the professional English language. This even requires coordination, public relations and effective management of information at various levels. Surveyors and the policies applied in this industry are benchmarked with the standards and legislations of the insurance companies and the regulatory authority on top of them. Work Based Learning can be got in this sector with more the number of years of experience. This could be increased with the help of gaining management trainee and internships options. The insurance sector will surely give a lot of exposure as there would be many kinds of incidents, claims and the catastrophes that occur and happen. Each would be unique in itself and give a lot of learning to the surveyor which is work based.  

The work based learning in insurance and surveying sector will increase the learning and knowledge. This will in turn help me in writing and designing an effective resume for myself. This CV will act as a self-branding tool that could be used for Professional Development. This will help the person in getting the permanent employment in future with the scope as same for the surveying and loss assessing.

P 1.2 negotiates with work and academic supervisors a proposal for the work experience.

Surveyor or a Loss Assessor requires a specific and special certification for applying for a job in this specific industry or sector. In order to gain work experience an effective and persuasive CV has to be designed and developed. The plan for the documentation will involve the following activities that should be carried out:

• Research and Work Based Survey: This will be a very detailed survey that should be carried out in the sector, industry and the experienced people in this industry. These people will help us know the specifications and the description of the job that is required. This survey will even help in gaining information which could be later converted into a branding tool that is Curriculum Vitae. This will help in developing a CV that will suffice on the profile and the person’s skills and competent mapping in this regard.
• Design of Curriculum Vitae: Based on the survey and the information that is collected. An effective resume could be designed and developed for a person. This will give brief information to the interviewer or the person who has to select the individual for the said profile.
• Persuasive Letter or Cover Page: This would be the introduction of the person and the reason why the company should select me in this specific profile. This will give brief reason on what value addition or extra services we would be giving to the company if they will employ me.

These activities and steps as discussed above will help in inculcating new skills and even persuade the interviewer in selecting me for the said profile of a loss assessor and surveyor.

P 1.3 Recognize the business constraints on the work experience.

Surveyor is purely a technical and very specific profile for the insurance and loss assessing companies. It involves a lot of technical knowledge and information that is obtained through the surveying course and certification from the regulatory authorities. Based on this it could be said that there are involved certain Business Strategy in getting work experience (Kirschner et al, 2006).

• Surveying Course involves an exam that has to be cleared by the individual who has to opt for this sector in order to gain certification. This exam is not very easy and involves regular practice and exercise.
• This requires on the job experience of 1-2 years in a loss assessing and that too in the insurance and loss assessing company in order to gain the certification within the company.
• The Other constraint is that once the certification taken will not be over as further studies and next level certification should be obtained.

There are very less opportunities in the loss assessing and surveying company. Above all in order to gain entry into sector and grow with time, proper certification is necessary to be obtained. It is work based learning and practical exposure that helps in gaining opportunities and benefit in this sector. Above all the business constraints discussed have to be planned in a specific way in order to gain entry into the sector and gain exposure to loss assessing and surveying business.

TASK 2

Address the job and business plan for the purpose and answer the following

The task would be addressing the job and business plan for the purpose of gaining an entry into loss assessing and surveying business. There would be a discussion on the job profile and responsibilities as a surveyor that is required to be carried out. The plan for gaining the WBL would also be analysed and even the benefits linked to them would be studied.

P 2.1 Agree and prioritize the tasks and responsibilities involved in the work experience.

WBL helps in gaining a practical exposure to the work and experience that is required to be gained in surveying and loss assessing business. This industry is completely different in all respects as it requires the business constraints to be met and fulfilled. The tasks and responsibilities involved in the work experience as per priority are:

• Research and survey to be done in the industry, sector and the expertise people who are involved loss assessing and surveying business. This will help in overcoming the business constraints and attending the issues on priority. This will even give the information on the sector so that the same it utilized to design effective curriculum vitae.
• Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letter – The CV should be developed Surveying and loss assessing basis. The information collected from the survey could be utilized to design a persuasive resume that may help the interviewer select me (Barrows, 1986).

P 2.2 Produce a plan for the work experience.

The plan for gaining an experience through work based learning in loss assessing and surveying company could be developed after thorough research and survey of the sector and the industry. The plan would comprise of:

• Setting the aim, purpose and objectives: Before the WBL is implemented, it is essential that the objectives and the aims of the work based learning are set. This will help in moving with a focus in a specified direction.
• Designing an activity chart on the targets to be achieved for WBL in the company. This will comprise of the bigger targets and then sub-targets linked with it. These activities have to be performed so that the objectives as a whole could be achieved.
• Macro and Micro Environmental Analysis: This will comprise of studying the internal as well as external environment so that business and individualistic constraints if any could be worked upon on priority.
• Evaluation and the improvisation process: Based on the targets and the focus areas worked out the improvisation plan could be developed that will help in further improving the situation.

P 2.3 Analyse the benefits of the proposed activities to the business and the learner.

WBL is quite beneficial to all the people involved in it. It is helpful to various areas for even the trainer and the supervisor who is actually imparting the training or Work Based Learning to the people involved. The benefits could be individually listed.

Benefits to Learners

• There is inculcation of a lot of learning, information, knowledge and exposure to the work experience and profile.
• This opens a lot of futuristic avenues for jobs and opportunities.
• They could gain practical exposure to obtain the necessary certification.
• The way and the planning for the future development could be developed.

Benefits to Employers 

• They will get a pool of skilled and competent manpower.
• They could use them on lower salaries to overcome attrition and resignations.
• They could sustain the business with experienced professionals who are aware of the profile and people.
• Opening the opportunities and avenues for the development and learning for all (Hmelo-Silver, 2004).

Benefits to Educational Foundations

• Their branding and popularity is spread in the market through their students deployed in companies for WBL.
• It will even add up for corporate tie-ups and development of the college reputation in the domestic as well as international education market or the sector.

Work based learning is really useful and beneficial for all the groups and people involved in it. It opens up the avenues and learning opportunities for all the trainers, trainees and the education institutions. There is proper planning that has to be done for Work based learning so that the steps are followed and systematic learning objective is achieved.

TASK 3

Address the work experience for the purpose and answer the following.

There would be a discussion on the requirements that exist for the placement services with regard to the work based learners. Based on it the priority for the responsibilities is accounted and placed. There are several challenges as well that if handled well will result in the growth and development of the learners and even the companies will get a pool of talent within them.

P 3.1 Fulfil specified requirements of placement conforming to all related codes of practice.

Work based learning is a process that gives and exposure to the learner in a practical perspective so that he could learn by application of the knowledge gained in the theory or in the college. This helps in correct implementation and application of the knowledge. This in turn makes him ready for the future opportunities that may exist with the company and he could be re-hired. In order to carry out and successfully implement the placement strategy, the following requirements have to be fulfilled:  

• The qualification, competencies and the skills have to be mapped with the personal attributes and the technical learning process therefore done will be mapped with the placement requirements. This could be further researched and developed with the help of industry and sector information and knowledge.
• Based on the above information, the letter from college on the achievements of the learner and his latest CV will help him place well in a deserving company. These will act as a selling tool for the learner or the person who is involved in the learning process.
• The expectations of the interviewer if researched and well-founded will help in approaching him accordingly with full preparation.

P 3.2 Produce systematic records of challenges work experience undertaken.

WBL is a kind of training and practical exposure that is not very easy to obtain. It takes a lot of effort to gain the information and knowledge in this regard. There are very few companies in surveying sector that provide this opportunity as its already a technical job that requires attention and company does not have time evaluate further. The challenges that experienced in the work experience are:

• This technical profile requires a lot of travelling and spending time during the catastrophe with unfavourable conditions. These conditions are not easy to survive in. This requires a hard core personality that may not move or deviate from the plan.
• It also requires a focus to gain certification within gaining of 1 year of experience as a surveyor as after that only a person has the authority of signing the reports that are submitted to the insurance companies. This certification cannot be fake or designed on our own as it is signed by the authorities.
• Based on it the designing of the resume as per the requirement of the company is really difficult and answering correct answer as per the questions is the requirement of the interviewer in order to get selected (Kolb, 2014).

P 3.3 Revise the initial plan if required.

These challenges that are encountered have to be overcome by doing and revising the plan that we had initially developed for the Work Based Learning. These challenges as discussed above exist in the company whenever work based learning is taken up by the company. In order to make improvisations, there should always be incorporation of the changes in the initial plan. The action plan in this regard is mentioned as under:

• Making the processes and learning process electronic and web based. This will help in imparting the learning even when the trainer, supervisor or the instructor is not available for reference. E-Learning will enhance the knowledge and learning of all the individuals. This will help in effective time management strategies and techniques.
• Training Evaluation and Assessment Process – In order to check the process and the assessment and evaluation of the various processes and steps that are involved in the learning process. This will ease the learning and improvisation process.
• There should be mapping of the skills and aligning of the objectives with the individual and group objectives and targets.

In case the initial plan only the amendments are discussed and worked upon so that the action is taken in a specific regard to the objectives and targets that are planned out.

P 3.4 Make suggestions for improvement and review these with the supervisor.

Work Based Learning will be successful only when the control, check and monitoring is done for the learner in terms of the additional learning that he has got. This would be done by the closed coordination and reporting of the supervisor. The suggestions in this regard for the review and improvement process are:

• Follow of the Plan as set and then time to time making changes in it. This will help in finding whether the movement and direction is correct or not. This will even help in saving and managing of time.
• Review of meetings and lessons – There should be review of the learned strategy and processes for the people who are involved in the process.
• The evaluations and tests should be taken to judge on the performance on regular intervals so that areas of improvisations are found out. These tests should be in between for various kinds of modules and lessons that are imparted by the authorities and the supervisors in the learning process (Elias, 2003).
• Designing of the CV and effective cover letter so that there is persuasion and impression developed. This will act as a branding tool for the person who is involved actively in the work based learning process.

This could be analysed that WBL should be done with the closed monitoring and as a control process to ensure that the improvisations and working on initial plan for improvement is carried out. This will keep track of the learners giving them direction for future learning as an exercise. It is based on the development of the initial plan and then working towards it to find out the areas that could be improvised and work upon.

TASK 4

Address your desired job or business plan towards work experience for the purpose and answer the following.

The plan once made for WBL exercise does not mean cannot be amended and changed. It has to be consistently monitored and evaluated to assess the changes and improvements that have taken place in the Personal and Professional Skills of the learners. The proposal that is developing initially has to be monitored and checked on regular intervals. This will help in keeping track of the changes that should be brought about as an improvement process. Suitable reflections would be formed on the basis of the experience gained. In order to enhance the work based learning, the recommendations would be provided.

P 4.1 Monitor progress against the original proposal

WBL has to be monitored and audited on regular intervals. This will help in checking on the performance of the original proposal or the plan that has to be executed. The original proposal should be checked upon to find out the improvisations that should be done.

• Regular meetings, testing and auditing process: There should always be a check on the way the learning process is imbibed by the learner. The audit process will define on the changes that should be brought about and improvisations. These meetings will ensure that the past and already read modules and activities are learned, studied and even tested for their authenticity so that final working could be done in the process.
• Direction, Planning of Career or the future: The future or the performance mapping in terms of the direction of the learner has to be defined and approached. This will guide the learner in choosing the right path or the alternative for career in surveying and loss assessment or any other industry of its own choice. It is very important that current base is strong in order to decide on the future plan of action. This could only be done in case the strong current performance and mapping of the skills and potential is worked out or carried out (Boud & Feletti, 1998).

P 4.2 Evaluate the quality of own performance

WBL once imparted should be evaluated on the quality based on the performance pf a learning and understanding of the process. The development should be in terms of the correct applications and implementation of the process. The quality of our own performance could be assessed in the following ways:

• The level of expertise in terms of implementation and execution of the activity, task or the problem. This will reveal the areas that have improved and worked upon for the learner and will act as a strength for him in future time.
• The skills and competencies additionally acquired by the learner.
• The value addition that is seen in the department based on his performance within the team.  

P 4.3 Analyse the learning which has taken place during the work experience using suitable reflections.

I have learned a lot while at the Work Based Learning activity in a surveying and loss assessing company. In order to gain certification in the said field and gain maximum exposure and benefit, it is imperative that the following is done:

• There should be work based and practical problems and issues that are discussed with the learners evaluating on their understanding of the learning process at work. This will give him learning in terms of understanding of processes and working of people.
• It has helped me in gaining additional value in terms of polishing my personal as well as professional’s attributes and skills.

P 4.4 Make recommendations on how the experience could have been enhanced

WBL could only be useful and the learning from it can only be enhanced when a proper planning of achieving the short and long term benefits are defined. It provides the future developed assets and manpower for the companies and that is possible only when experience could be enhanced:

• Appointing correct people on correct and right positions with the skilled professionals and expertise providing them the training and learning. Based on it mapping their skills and deciding them on appropriate areas and positions for longer run. This will help in manpower optimization and utilization.
• Keep assessing and evaluating the performance and potential of the learners involved in this learning exercise at work. This will help in bringing improvisations. The areas newly explored and developed for the learners involved in the work based learning exercise (Savery & Duffy, 1995).
• Attending to the problems and issues on priority in order to utilize and gain maximum benefit of the WBL.

Work Based Learning is an activity which could be effectively utilized if a suitable plan is developed for it. It will help in placing the deserving learners as per their expertise and learning gained.

Conclusion

In Unit 17 Work Based Learning Assignment we disccused Work Based Learning is a very tedious exercise but always results in many benefits to all the people who are involved in this learning exercise. It opens up new avenues and opportunities for all the people involved in it. It requires a proper plan in order to gain work based learning exercise. This helps the organizations in gaining adequate skilled and competent manpower for their future. Surveying industry has been quite technical industry that requires that assessment and evaluation of the WBL plan to be done so that with time proper amendments and improvisations are brought in them. Surveying sector has certain technical formalities like gaining of certification that could only be gained through WBL.  

In the nutshell, WBL is a complete activity, learning and exercise in itself that will involve all concerned people and gaining Communication Information and Knowledge from it. WBL will ensure that a person is placed in the right place as per the newly acquired skills and even draw and design his future planning and development. The benefits will surely be helping the learner, supervisor and the corporate in getting the managers and skilled manpower to be employed for the company in surveying profile.

References

Arends, R., & Castle, S. (1991). Learning to teach (Vol. 142). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Barrows, H. S. (1980). Problem-based learning: An approach to medical education. Springer Publishing Company.
Barrows, H. S. (1986). A taxonomy of problem?based learning methods. Medical education, 20(6), 481-486.
Boud, D., & Feletti, G. (Eds.). (1998). The challenge of problem-based learning. Psychology Press.

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