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ASSIGNMENT 2 INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO
ASSIGNMENT 2: INDIVIDUAL PORTFOLIO
(Author’s name)
(Institutional Affiliation)
One of the many reasons why we all attend school and classes is for us to get ready and prepared for our future careers. However, in many instances, even with all the information that we learn from school, future careers present individuals with numerous challenges, which students have to address for them to become successful. The purpose of this research paper is to find out what kind of challenges students, and especially those from UEL, expect to face once they clear school and join their future professional careers. Furthermore, the paper will also look at a number of ways the students plan to use to eliminate or solve these problems. To achieve this, the research paper will utilize a number of tools such as questionnaires that will be prepared and given to about 30 students. The analysis of the answers the participants present are what will make the bulk of the paper. Alongside the paper, I will also provide a PowerPoint presentation, in addition to pie charts and bar charts of the results of the questionnaires to show data found from the study.
Numerous students, and not only those from UEL, face numerous difficulties as they transition from school to their future careers, and many students also have fears concerning several challenges that are associated with future careers. Though future professional careers can present a new individual with many problems, there are ways that scholars have identified that students can use to reduce the impacts of the transmission from being a student to being a profession in a certain career. This paper, as we have seen, will find out some of the most prevalent fears that students have of their future careers, and will use the findings of the study to recommend a number of ways the students can overcome their fears through solving these future problems.
The study will make use of questionnaires and interview questions directed to the students. The study will make use of about thirty students. In addition to this, the paper will also make use of the available literature to study more on these challenges and some of the recommendations that I might offer to these students to ease their transition from being students to professionals. The paper will present the results in an excel table, that I will later translate in bar and pie charts for easy analysis.
After the analysis of the results of the study, a few problems or challenges that I identified as potential stress- areas for students in their future professional careers. One of the challenges that were eminent was that many students were anxious about not being able to secure a job in their preferred professions. Many students were of the idea that the job market today has completely changed, and that they would find it difficult to secure a job. When asked how they were planning to solve this problem, a number of them indicated that they were going to pursue more education so for more qualification and distinction. Others indicated that they would search for jobs in more than one area of expertise to expand their chances of getting a job. According to a number of studies looked at during the research, it seemed that encouraging students not to give up was one effective of easing away anxiety. These studies advised parents and educators to continually encourage the students to view their careers as things that evolve over lifetimes. As it follows, this will enable students to see each step like graduation and searching for jobs just as some stages of the many in their career path (Bernstein 1997).
Another challenge that became prominent in the research was that many students in UEL had some expectations that were unrealistic about the professional and career areas. It was clear from the answers of some of these students that they expected to get high paying jobs immediately after school. Some of them expected their employers to place them in high levels of management even without experience. It seemed that their ideas of what a perfect job opportunity is, was distorted. Most of them placed wages and salaries higher than opportunities to grow and develop career wise. All the students seemed to care about was remuneration and the amount of money they would take home at the end of the day. According to the literature review conducted, unrealistic expectations of students of their future careers were shown as some of the most common problems. The studies specified that educators and mentors of students could address this challenge by quoting to students the most essential parts of a job, which are career growth and development and opportunities to grow and develop as a professional as opposed to remuneration and wages (Carnevale, Gainer and Meltzer 1988).
Another issue that was apparent after the study was that jobs and recruiters are not sufficient in the market. Most students argued that the available job opportunities availed to them in the market were not sufficient for all of them. Most of them could not find jobs after school because the job opportunities were simply not there. Recruiters and employers were few, as well, and students who had graduated were struggling for the few left. Some of them indicated that they could address this problem by differentiating themselves from the others by attaining more education, and by attaining more skills. Others felt that they could solve the problem by working without remuneration for skills and experiences. Studies looked at by the researchers indicated that this problem can be solved by attracting new employers with an impressive resume, appealing to alumni for job opportunities, or attesting summer jobs for experience and skills (Pew Research Centre 2010).
The survey also found that many students do not take advantage of what educators, mentors and job opportunities have to offer. For instance, some students indicated that they attended attachments and internships just because the school required it. They do not realise that these opportunities can be crucial in earning them future employment. Studies in the area urge students to take more interest in what their employers, teachers, and mentors have to offer, because it is from these entities that students obtain their knowledge, experience and skills required in their professional careers (Advanced Education Statistics 2011).
Other problems that became apparent from the study were that students feared that it would be difficult for them to keep their knowledge and skills up to date after they left school. Some of them indicated that they feared that their knowledge would become obsolete if they joined organizations that did not offer their employees periodic training programs. They argued that they could solve this problem through updating themselves constantly on their careers through the internet, books, and seminars. Studies on the area argue that one of the main challenges affecting organizations today is retention of information. The studies argue that organizations must offer their employees constant training aimed at revitalizing and adding to the information they possess of their professions (Surmounting Unique Challenges Statistics 2011).
The study also found that there were problems with rescinded offers, late offers and delayed start days that. Students feared that if these happen, the employers could reduce their chances of obtaining a job. As a result, of this, their expectations and motivation decreases. The students claimed that if this were to happen to them then they would make sure that they conduct the employers to ascertain that they still have a job opportunity. Experts advice companies and employers to avoid this by conducting the concerned student early enough to help them adjust their expectations (Gysbers and Henderson 1994).
The results of the study also indicated that some students and career candidates were alienating future employees. The study mostly found this to be, as a result, of high and unrealistic expectations some students had. The survey also found that some students from UEL had alienated and ruined the reputation of their school and, as a result, most of the employers were hesitant to give students from UEL a chance to work in their organizations. Students indicated that they could solve this problem by showing characters that were different from other students and by being unique. Research shows that some employers do alienate potential job candidates because of the reputation their school has. The reputation could hurt the other students since employers are sensitive to certain behaviours (Krumboltz 1996).
Lowered morale and motivation to find a job was also another challenge identified in the study. The study also found that many students did not feel motivated to find jobs because they were of the idea that there were no job opportunities in the market. The students indicated that their motivation could only improve if they found evidence indicating that there were available job opportunities for them. The studies show motivation as one of the most essential factors in determining enthusiasm and success of an individual (U.S. Department of Labour 1996).
Other issues that the study identified as challenges the UEL student were expecting to face in the future had to do with limited resources in terms of money and time. Most of them thought that time and money was essential in enabling them find work. Without these resources, they argued that they would not be able to find work. Some indicated that they would solve the problem by asking for financial support from parents or finding small jobs that would enable them to raise enough fees for their job search. Time and money are essential factors in determining whether individuals will find future work or not. The research also showed lack of support or limited support from close families and friends as a potential problem. Students were of the idea that once they cleared school, their parents would expect them to be on their own without the support of their parents or friends. As they argued, this could present them with numerous challenges that would make it difficult to find work (U.S. Department of Labour 1996).
References
Advanced Education Statistics 2011, Harris Interactive Career Study Millennial Data.
Bernstein, A 1997, ‘Commentary: Who says job anxiety is easing?’ Business Week.
Carnevale, AP, Gainer, LJ and Meltzer, AS 1988, Workplace basics: The skills employers want, American Society for Training and Development, Alexandria, VA.
Gysbers, NC and Henderson, P1994, Developing and managing your school guidance program, American Counselling Association, Alexandria, VA.
Krumboltz, JD 1996, ‘a learning theory of career counselling’, in M.L. Savickas & W.B. Walsh (Eds.), Handbook of career counselling theory and practice, Davies-Black, Palo Alto, CA.
Pew Research Centre 2010, The Millennials: Confident, Connected, Open to Change, accessed from http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1501/millennials-new-survey-generational-personlity-upbeatopen-new-ideas-technology-bound
Surmounting Unique Challenges Statistics 2011, Harris Interactive Career Study Hiring Manager Data.
U.S. Department of Labour 1996, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Author Washington, DC.
Appendices
Questionnaire
Do you think you will have enough support from your parents and friends when you start searching for a job?
Do you think you will have enough resources in terms of money and time to look for a job in the future?
Do you think your school is being affected by bad reputation?
Do you think employers alienate candidates from your school?
Do you think you will suffer from decreased motivation or morale while you search for a job?
Do you think you will experience rescinded offers, late offers for jobs, or delayed start dates when you find a job?
Do you think your job will provide you with enough opportunities to retain and gain more knowledge?
Do you think you do not take advantage of the opportunities available to you know as a student, that might affect your chances of getting a job in the future?
Do you think there are enough jobs or recruiters to give each graduate a job after school?
Do you think you will suffer from anxiety when you fail to find a job as fast as you had expected?
Do you think your expectations of your future professional career are unrealistic or too many?
What are your plans for the future in terms of future professional career and employment opportunities?
Have these plans changed from time to time or they have remained the same over the years?
Do you think you will be able to achieve these plans or goals as expected.?
Excel Table
Answers to questionnaire questions
Question yes no probably not sure
a 20 5 2 3
b 18 7 3 2
c 13 7 5 5
d 15 4 10 1
e 13 16 0 1
f 10 16 2 1
g 12 8 7 3
h 14 6 6 4
i 17 3 3 7
j 17 3 2 8
k 11 9 9 1
l 20 0 0 10
m 17 2 6 5
n 6 14 0 10
Results in a Table
Answers to questionnaire questions Question Yes No Probably Not sure
A 20 5 2 3
B 18 7 3 2
C 13 7 5 5
D 15 4 10 1
E 13 16 0 1
F 10 16 2 1
G 12 8 7 3
H 14 6 6 4
I 17 3 3 7
J 17 3 2 8
K 11 9 9 1
L 20 0 0 10
M 17 2 6 5
N 6 14 0 10
Pie chart
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Bar chart EMBED MSGraph.Chart.8 s
left2540
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Power point presentation
Slide 1 EMBED PowerPoint.Slide.12 Slide 2 EMBED PowerPoint.Slide.12 Slide 3 EMBED PowerPoint.Slide.12 Slide 4 EMBED PowerPoint.Slide.12 Slide 5 EMBED PowerPoint.Slide.12 Slide 6 EMBED PowerPoint.Slide.12
Assigned Film Analysis
Assigned Film Analysis: 30 points
While watching your film, please make sure to focus on the particular storytelling methods used by the filmmakers to convey both the film’s theme and the film’s portrayal of the mass media world.
You may use the following questions to frame the structure of your paper, but your paper should be in an essay format, MLA Style. Make sure you answer each question completely (i.e. answer each part of the question), and make sure to cite any sources you used to answer these questions. This assignment will count as an individual grade and is worth up to 30 points (not counting any bonus points). I expect at least two pages, but keep it less than three max.
What is the film’s story? What is the film all about? Was the story easy to follow?
What is the film’s theme? Remember that theme is the unifying idea that permeates the film via dialogue, plot, visuals, et al.
How did the director visualize the theme to the audience? How did you know what the theme was? What did the director do from a filmmaking standpoint?
What did you think of the film’s portrayal of the particular “mass media” involved? What were your expectations of that portrayal going into the film?
What did you learn about the “mass media” portrayed in the film that you didn’t already know?
What do you think of that “mass media” now after watching your assigned film?
Rubric Element Description Exceeds
Expectations Meets
Expectations Does Not Meet
Expectations
Length and formatting of essay Student essay is minimum of two pages double-spaced.
The essay is formatted correctly with paragraph l indentations, sufficient detail and examples provided and proper use of punctuation and grammar. 10
Student’s essay meets or exceeds the minimum of two pages double-spaced.
Entire essay is formatted correctly, Exemplary detail and many examples provided. Always uses proper grammar and punctuation. 8
Student’s essay meets the minimum two pages. Most of the essay is formatted correctly. Sufficient detail and some examples provided. Sometimes uses proper grammar and punctuation 0-5
Student’s essay does not meet the minimum two pages. Only parts of the essay are formatted correctly. Insufficient detail and few to no examples provided. Rarely uses proper grammar and punctuation.
Questions Answered Each of the 6 questions is answered thoroughly using a minimum of three sentences. Essay includes identification of each of the 5 Ws and H. Essay includes examples, quotes and paraphrases with correct attribution of sources. 10
Student’s essay addressed each of the 6 questions thoroughly using a minimum of three sentences for each question. Essay includes identification of each of the each of the 5 Ws and H.
Essay includes exemplary examples, quotes and paraphrases. Always uses correct attribution. 8
Student’s essay addresses most questions thoroughly using a minimum of three sentences.
Essay includes use of most of the 5 Ws and H.
Essay includes sufficient examples, quotes and paraphrases with occasional correct attribution of sources. 0-5
Student’s essay addresses only some of the questions,
using a minimum of three sentences. Essay includes few to none of the 5 Ws and H. Insufficient use of examples, quotes and paraphrases. Rarely uses correct attribution of sources.
Analysis of film The student essay demonstrates detailed analysis, with examples from their assigned film, through the application of the five media literacy concepts and/or questions. 10
Student’s essay demonstrates exemplary detailed analysis, with many examples of their assigned film, through the application of each of the five media literacy concepts and/or questions. 8
Student’s essay demonstrates sufficiently detailed analysis, with some examples of their assigned film, through the application of most of the five media literacy concepts and/or questions. 0-5
Student’s essay demonstrates insufficiently detailed analysis, with
few to no examples of their assigned film, through the application of few to none of the five media literacy concepts and/or questions.
Jackie Robinson, and the American Dilemma
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Jackie Robinson, and the American Dilemma
Often, ordinary truths are revealed by extraordinary lives. John Wilson tells a story of Robinson’s fight against racial injustice in the book, “Jackie Robinson and the American Dilemma” and the aftermath of American sports in World War II. Wilson starts the story examining the childhood days of Robinson, advancing with different dynamics that Robinson came up with, of racist white Americans’ perspective at that particular time. Nearing the end of the story, John highlights several challenges Robinson faced due to his family, not to mention the vicious killings in the United States. John hints that merely within three months in 1998, Robison encountered five bad scenarios that hit him personally and politically, with a possibility to drown the spirit of a weaker person (Clayton, Pg. 2). Generally, the bibliography is full of achievements that encouraged African Americans during that particular time and other human races until the present.
Jackie was born in Georgia, at the summit of the segregated South. His parents were sharecropped farmers. Jackie’s father, Jerry Robinson, abandoned his family while Jackie was still a small baby. Jackie’s mother, Mallie, was determined to give her five children a better life, so she joined “the great migration” out the South, which involved African Americans. The vast majority of the African Americans moved to either Washington, Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago, or New York. However, Mallie traveled to California as her brother advised her. Around the 1920s, it was somewhat uncommon to find people of African American origin in California. Despite the place being inhabited by Mexican-born blacks in the early settlement, only 1% represented African American decency in the state’s population (Clayton, Pg. 4). People dwelling in that region had to deal with the discrimination pattern common to the American West. Only a few laws were subject to addressing matters relating to the black-white relationship, but the limit of tolerance was defined by widely established and accepted practices.
Only a few public and social amenities accepted African Americans. Some restrictive nondisclosure agreements barred African Americans from residing in most whites’ neighborhoods. Job discrimination haltered economic growth, and African Americans faced hostility at right, left, and center from strangers, neighbors, not to mention police officers. Jackie was not an exception as he was raised in quite a similar environment to that of other kids who moved during the great migration. Raised by a single parent, depending on their mother’s income, the family lived in poverty, kept together by the indomitable spirit of their mother, without mentioning a strong sense of religious, moral values (Tygiel, Pg. 1). As a minor, Jackie and his gang could not escape local police confrontation, which led to at least one arrest. South California could not be the best place to live as an African American, but, perhaps it offered opportunities that were not available in most other locales.
The most impactful person in his childhood days was certainly his mom, Mallie. Mallie was so entrenched into working hard and earning a living; more importantly, she was devoted to God. Mallie’s family lived in a white-dominated neighborhood as the only African Americans, but that did not stop her from raising her five children well and not to receive any sorts of complaints from the neighbors. Jackie and his brother did tremendously well in sports since their childhood. As early as middle school level, Jackie was dedicated to sports, and he and other best athletes in the neighborhood teamed up and started to compete with other “gangs.” However, there some mischievous gang members who often stole fruits from the orchards and, at times, threw dirt clods at vehicles, not to mention rocking at the street lights. Luckily, Jack was an exception as he had some role models who always gave him insights and sage and often warned him of any misdemeanor acts. Jackie’s role models encouraged him to be discipline for Mallie’s, and he turned onto educating himself as a primary concern to be a dependable family member.
The fact that there were tenements and single-family house domination made Mallie buy a house for her family. African American athletes did not face severe restrictions on sports participation, thus paving the way for an avenue of success to Mallie’s sons. Mack, one of Jackie’s siblings, starred at both the 1936 Olympic Games and at the University of Oregon. Later, Jack managed to win four sporting events at Pasadena City College and UCLA, and indeed Mallie capitalized on the achievements of her sons. Jackie’s time at UCLA laid a foundation for him to interact with as many people as possible racially.
Besides his excellence in sports, Jackie received recognizable honors, which led his colleagues to acknowledge Jackie as a gifted African American. Jackie overcame many challenges in his quest to convert the institutions and attitudes defining race relations in America. Rarely did history ever put much emphasis on an individual. Jackie’s trials and triumphs were crucial to American racial differences following World War II. It proved that Jack was a prominent figure fighting for the civil rights of the minorities and brought together the baseball faithful irrespective of the race. Many people loved Jackie, and a significant number also hated him. Any appearance he made during the match was vital regardless of facing boos or applause from the crowd. Jack was excellent in baseball; even the racist and unsupportive fans failed to recognize his race and had to acknowledge him.
Jackie’s senior year at UCLA was somewhat significant as that time he found his soulmate, Rachel Isum. At the time, Rachel was a freshman and relatively younger than Jackie, and dwelled in a secure African American neighborhood. Rachel formed part of a third-generation Californian, which was an uncommon status among black communities and had received a UCLA scholarship, maintaining the excellent performance of straight As. Jackie’s fiery impetuousness complimented by Rachel’s warm and calm manner. Together, their mutual love bond and support were to prepare them ahead of challenging years. Similarly to others at Rachel’s and Jackie’s time, their dating life was interfered with by World War II. Jackie’s services in the army proved the experience of African Americans in the military.
Jackie was drafted in 1942 and posted at Fort Riley, Kansas. He faced a never-ending gauntlet of racial discrimination. He was unable or instead barred to access Officers’ Candidate School, restricted from participating on the baseball team in the camp, and blocked to private facilities. Jackie’s aggressiveness and credibility played a vital role in helping him to demand better and equal treatment. Jackie managed to rise into lieutenant ranks and spearheaded a movement to improve living conditions for African American soldiers at Fort Riley. Following Jackie’s transfer to Ford Hood in Texas, he rejected the orders of sitting at the back of an army bus and ignored the disciplinary actions by one of the top-ranking soldiers (Tygiel, Pg. 5). Consequently, Jackie was taken to a court-martial charged with a dishonorable discharge. Jackie was acquitted of all the charges, but the encounter did not go unnoticed as they intensified his commitments towards racial discrimination and other social injustices.
Jackie’s release from the army and encountered a familiar dilemma for African Americans. Before his athletic talent reached its peak and the time he was good enough to shine in any sporting event in America, Jackie was no different from his brothers Kenny and Mack, as he had limited options in terms of professionalism. Baseball teams, basketball teams, and the National Football League could not accept African American players. The best viable option for Jackie to go with was baseball Negro league, and ended up signing for Kansas City Monarchs in the spring of 1945. Arguably, there was a high level of baseball displayed by the Negro Leagues, that featured some all-time greatest stars of the game. Perhaps, the experience at the Negro league was somewhat distasteful to Jackie. Jackie was used to highly structured training sessions, and fixtures that involved major college sports, and joining the Negro Leagues was an obvious step down as opposed to a leg up (Tygiel, Pg. 6). What discouraged Jack even more, was long traveling hours, the degrading acts at filling stations, not to mention the informal league approach by the players to most nonleague contests. Jackie was somewhat a misfit among the monarchs as he merely enjoyed the “social ramble” with his team.
Jackie could later join one of the best teams in the country courtesy of Rickey, where most of his colleagues were whites. Irrespective of the insults he might encounter from opponent players or the crowd at the beginning of the baseball career, Jackie was slow to react and managed the situation warmly. He understood the magnitudes of obstacles facing him and was naturally combative. In 1946, Jackie and Rachel wedded. Soon after, the couple to Florida for spring training, also launching “baseball’s great experiment.” Jackie joined a South practiced rigid discrimination, lynching, and all kinds of racial injustices, and it was now somewhat a distant dream to dismantle the Jim Crow laws practice. After two years, President Harry ordered the desegregation of military personnel. Barely after eight years, the supreme court unanimously ruled in favor of Mr. Brown in the infamous case of Brown V. Topeka Board of Education. Jackie became recognized as “a one-man civil rights movement” (Tygiel, Pg. 7).
Works Cited
Clayton, Obie. An American dilemma revisited: Race relations in a changing world. Russell Sage Foundation, 1996.
Tygiel, Jules. Extra Bases: Reflections on Jackie Robinson, Race, and Baseball History. U of Nebraska Press, 2002.