Identification of a placement or internship role that you would like to apply to or a role you wish to undertake after graduating

Sample Answer

Reflective Report on Acquisition of Employment-Related Skills (EG5014)

Introduction and purpose of reflection

This report reflects on the employment-related skills developed during the EG5014 project module and how these skills prepare me for a graduate role after completion of my degree. Reflection is used as a structured way to evaluate both successful and challenging experiences, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and develop a realistic action plan to enhance employability. The reflection is informed by my project diary and progress reports and follows a reflective learning approach supported by academic literature.

Identification of the role

Selected role

The role selected is Graduate Civil Engineer, referenced from the Project Resource graduate job descriptions for civil engineering roles (Project Resource, 2024).
This role typically involves assisting with design development, preparing schedules of work, risk management, problem solving, coordination with stakeholders, and ensuring projects meet cost, safety, and time requirements.

The full job description is included as Appendix A.

Reflection

What I am reflecting on

This reflection focuses on two key activities completed during the EG5014 project:

1. Preparing and defending a design decision that went well.

2. Managing time and coordination during schedule preparation, which did not go as planned.

Reactions and feelings

When defending my design decisions during project reviews, I felt confident as I had prepared evidence and technical reasoning. I was able to explain assumptions clearly and respond to questions logically. This experience increased my confidence in communicating technical ideas.

In contrast, during the preparation of schedules of work, I felt stressed and overwhelmed. Poor time estimation led to rushed submissions, which affected the quality of the final output. This caused frustration and highlighted weaknesses in my planning approach.

What was good and bad about the experience

The positive experience demonstrated my ability to evaluate designs, justify decisions, and consider safety and cost implications. These are core competencies for a Graduate Civil Engineer and aligned well with industry expectations.

The negative experience showed weaknesses in time management and task prioritisation. Although the schedule met minimum requirements, it lacked depth and clarity. This was a valuable learning experience, highlighting how technical ability alone is not enough without effective organisation.

Making sense of the situation

Using Gibbs’ Reflective Cycle (1988), it is clear that the successful design defence benefited from early preparation, structured thinking, and use of supporting data. This aligns with professional engineering practice, where decisions must be evidence-based and defensible.

The scheduling issue reflects a common early-career challenge. According to PMI (2021), inaccurate time estimation is often caused by underestimating task complexity and failing to allow contingency. I focused too heavily on technical accuracy and neglected realistic planning. This demonstrates a gap between academic knowledge and professional project management skills.

General conclusions from the experience

Overall, the experiences show that employability depends on both technical and transferable skills. Strong problem solving and communication skills must be supported by effective time management, planning, and coordination. Engineering roles require balancing competing demands such as safety, cost, and deadlines.