BUS1016 Semester Two Assignment Brief

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BUS1016 Semester Two Assignment Brief
The assignment for semester 2 is an individual portfolio consisting of three elements;
1. Written assignment [2,500 words]
2. Excel analysis with written commentary [1,000 words]
3. Two powerpoint slides with audio commentary [2 minutes]
The portfolio is worth 60% of the overall module marks. The weighting for the individual
elements of the portfolio are as follows:
1. Written assignment [60%]
2. Excel analysis with written commentary [30%]
3. Powerpoint slides with audio commentary [10%]
Deadline: before 4.00pm Friday 20 April 2018
Feedback: by 4.00pm on Friday 18 May 2018 via Turnitin Feedback Centre
Please upload your assignments via Turnitin (on Blackboard). For details see the
information on Blackboard in the Module Folder – Assessment Information.
Part 1. Written Assignment [2,500 words]
You are required to answer the following question:
“Businesses look first and foremost for graduates with the right attitudes and
aptitudes to enable them to be effective in the workplace” (CBI, 2016:8)1. Drawing on
the intelligent career framework critically consider the actions that you could take to
demonstrate your potential to future employers in your chosen career.
1 This reference is available on Blackboard in the reading lists associated with lectures 1 and 2 in Semester 2.
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Assignment Guidance:
 The word count is 2,500 words (+/- 10%) excluding references. PLEASE NOTE
any words beyond the maximum limit will not be marked.
 NUBS use the Harvard style for referencing [please see the information on
Blackboard and links to the Library website).
 For formatting please use a minimum of size 12 font, and minimum 1.5 line
spacing. You can use subheadings within the text if you wish and where
appropriate you may use tables and bullet points.
Assignment Content:
Below is some guidance for the content of your assignment broken down into the different
elements of the question.
Your future career: You may already have an idea of what career you are thinking about,
this might be related to a certain role and/or field e.g. HR Manager, Chief Executive or
Management Consultant. You may want to have a career in a specific sector e.g. Finance,
Oil and Gas, Consultancy. You may want to set up your own business. You may have
ideas about the size or location of the organisations that you might want to work for. Or
you might be like I was at this point and still be considering all of your options!
The Excel exercise and assignment which requires you to explore the Destinations of
Leavers of Higher Education (DLHE) survey results will give you good insight into the
types of employment that graduates are entering. The point here is to try and identify a
career that you are thinking about. You will need to provide an overview of what this and
why this is of interest to you – for example you could link this to your values, or notions of
career success.
Attributes: Think about how you will identify the attributes that are required for the career
you have identified. For example, you could look at recent job advertisements, consult
online careers resources. As discussed in the lecture you can learn from the stories of
others – interviews with individuals with ‘successful’ careers in this areas (famous or not!).
These could be interviews conducted by others (videos or articles in practitioner/general
press) for example see xyz or you could speak with people that you know in these areas.
What attributes are being asked for now? Are these expected to change in the future –
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what might the future of work look like for your chosen career? You could also consider
what attributes are needed at different points – entry-level graduate through to
manager/leader/owner.
Intelligent Career Framework: draw on the ideas discussed in the lecture to consider
what you can do to develop the attributes that you have identified and how you can
communicate to potential employers your career aspirations, intentions and directions.
This is not simply about identifying a list of actions but reflecting on how this help develop
your pre-professional identity as a graduate (again you can draw on the lecture material
and reading to develop this further). It is expected that you will draw on the academic
literature.
Critical considerations: Strong answers will critically reflect on the challenges and
barriers in developing the attributes that have been identified. For example, you could
consider if certain individuals more likely to succeed in particular careers – here you could
examine gender/class/ethnicity. You will need to draw on the literature here to support
your arguments.
Part 2 – Excel analysis with written commentary [1,000 words]
It is important for you to think about the relationship between your learning and your
career. The aim of this part of the portfolio is to encourage you to think about the range of
careers and opportunities available to you by examining the destinations of recent
graduates. Your task is to use MS Office tools (in particular Excel) to analyse and present
data about destinations of Newcastle University graduates using the Destinations of
Leavers of Higher Education (DLHE) data.
The 2015 and 2016 DLHE Data for graduates of Newcastle University are available on
Blackboard [please refer to the DHLE Analysis information sheet to confirm the meaning of
the column headings and the link to the HESA website for the codings used].
You are required to analyse the DLHE data from 2015 – 2016 and produce a report
on the following areas;
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1. Employment destinations of Newcastle University graduates
2. Retention of graduates in the North East of England and their employment
3. Factors impacting on how graduates find their jobs
Assignment Guidance:
 The word count, for the supporting commentary is 1,000 words (+/- 10%).
Excluding references and tables. PLEASE NOTE any words beyond the
maximum limit will not be marked.
 NUBS use the Harvard style for referencing (please see the information on
Blackboard and links to the Library website).
 For formatting please use a minimum of size 12 font, and minimum 1.5 line
spacing.
 As the assignment is to undertake data analysis it will be appropriate to use
tables and other visual forms of presentation such as graphic and charts.
Assignment Content:
Below is some guidance for the content of your assignment.
In the IT Practical during the week commencing 12 February you will analyse the 2014
spreadsheet of DLHE Data [Destination of Leavers from Higher Education] for graduates
of Newcastle University. Use the Excel skills from the seminar to analyse the data from
the 2015/16 spreadsheets and convert this into information to respond to the 3 points you
are being asked to report on.
You are being asked to identify the data from the 2015 and 2016 spreadsheets and
present the information in a visual form (i.e., charts and graphs), AND provide a supporting
commentary of no more than 1,000 words to explain the information you have chosen to
present. Strong responses will demonstrate the skills learnt in using Excel to analyse the
data and how this can then be reported so that the key information is clearly highlighted
and easy to understand.
You will therefore need to make decisions about the data you wish to include or exclude –
strong responses will detail in the commentary the rationale for what data is considered
and why.
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For the three areas you are being asked to focus on you may wish to consider specific
elements such as;
1. Employment destinations of Newcastle University graduates – consider which
variables you could analyse
2. Retention of graduates in the North East of England and their employment –
consider which characteristics you could analyse
3. Factors impacting on how graduates find their jobs – consider what types of
employment you could analyse
For instance, point 2, are decisions to stay in the North East of England related to gender,
original address, discipline studied, sector of employment, networks or some other
variable?
Part 3 – Powerpoint slides with audio commentary [2 minutes]
Employers consistently identify communication as a key skill required by graduates
entering the workplace. This part of the assessment focuses on your communication skills.
Your task is use MS Office Powerpoint to present information supported by an audio
commentary.
Prepare two Powerpoint slides and present these (maximum of 2 minute audio
recording) on;
 My five personal development goals and how I will achieve these by the
end of Stage 2 of my degree at Newcastle University Business School
Guidance:

 	A maximum of two Powerpoint slides The audio commentary can be a maximum of two minutes in length. PLEASE NOTE ANYTHNG BEYOND THE TWO MINUTES TIMEFRAME WILL NOT BE ASSESSED. NUBS use the Harvard style for referencing (please see the information on Blackboard and links to the Library website).


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 As the aim of the assignment is present information visually and orally it may be
appropriate to use visual images and / or bullet points.
Powerpoint Content:
Below is some guidance for the content of your assignment.
In the IT Practical during the week commencing 5 March will focus on producing effective
Powerpoint slides. Use the Powerpoint skills from this seminar to design your slides.
You are being asked to present the information on your slides so remember the slides are
there to support your audio delivery, not be a substitute for it. Your commentary is your
opportunity to personalise the information and explain your goals and actions and why
these are important to you, remember to pace what you are saying [don’t rush / speak too
quickly] and speak clearly.
There is no set format required for your slides you can use whatever design and animation
you consider to be appropriate.
Points to consider when creating your powerpoint:
 Keep it simple
 Limit the number of bullet points or text used
 Limit the use of transitions and build [animation]
 Think about how you might use colour[s]
 Think about the font and typeface size
 Have an appropriate visual theme
 If using any graphics or images ensure that they are high quality and no copyright
issues or is source acknowledged
 If using charts or tables ensure that the information can be seen and there is an
appropriate level of detail
Also prior to submission it would be a good idea to listen to ensure that the audio
commentary is audible.
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In presenting your five personal development goals strong responses will be able to
confirm why these are the most relevant goals to your future career and the specific
actions you have identified that will enable you to achieve these.

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