LIBRARY STUDY SMART PROFESSIONAL LITERACY
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CONTENTS 1.
Sample Attributes
Professional literacies
Wondering how your degree and your career intersect? Professional literacy What is professional literacy? It involves skills that you are likely to use in a professional or industry context. These skills are commonly integrated into all courses through graduate attributes and professional recognition of courses. They include, but are not limited to, skills such as communication, interpersonal skills, teamwork skills, showing initiative, integrity, and many more. Many courses have some form of professional recognition, often called accreditation. These courses go through a series of checks to ensure they meet the professional industry requirements and that their graduates will have the necessary skills to do the job well. This isn’t just restricted to disciplines like medicine and nursing. Other areas such as business, communication, and industrial design also have accreditation standards. Here you will find a list of all the Western Sydney University courses that have formal recognition, the organisations behind them, and some more useful information that will help you develop your social capital and career prospects. For careers advice and help with resumes and applications, visit the University’s Careers unit.
STUDY SMART WEBSITE
Find this section on the Study Smart website here: https://westernsydney.edu.au/ studysmart/home/professional_ literacy
WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES THE CURRICULA OF ALL UNIVERSITY COURSES ARE DESIGNED SO THAT STUDENTS ACQUIRE A SET OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ATTRIBUTED BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE. In undergraduate courses, those attributes include skills and literacies to enable lifelong learning, knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, coherence and connection in learning, intellectual enquiry skills, and the ability to engage with an evolving world. Postgraduate courses are underpinned by attributes aligned with the requirements of the professional fields that students will enter.
SAMPLE INDUSTRY GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AREN’T JUST ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW OR LEARNT FROM YOUR STUDY. They also include aspects like ethical integrity and professional communication. To be an integral part of your profession, it will be crucial to know what skills are required. We’ve looked at the attributes published by a range of different professional bodies, and put a list together. They are very broad and generic but will help give you an idea of what skills you need to develop in addition to your discipline content knowledge.
WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT WOULD IT SURPRISE YOU TO FIND OUT THAT IN 2014 EMPLOYERS STATED THAT COMMUNICATION SKILLS ARE THE TOP DESIRABLE SELECTION CRITERIA? In fact 48.6% of graduate employers ranked communication skills as the most important selection criteria. Graduate Careers Australia has developed a range of surveys that look at graduate employability. They also produce a report each year that looks at what graduate employers are looking for. If you want help in looking at your future career, this is a good place to start. More Information: → Graduate Careers Australia → Graduate Outlook Survey
Sample graduate attributes Many programs through the university are accredited by professional associations. Some programs like Nursing and Medicine have mandatory registration requirements whilst others like Health Services Management and Marketing have optional registration with a professional association. Whether you have to register or you have the option to regipster, your course has already been ratified by the relevant association so that you can register. During the process of a course being accredited, the University needs to demonstrate that its students will have attained a number of graduate attributes by the time they graduate. These attributes are what a graduate needs to be able to demonstrate in their work practices and behaviours. The table below is a compilation of some graduate attributes from professional bodies that accredit a range of courses from all the schools in the University. Graduate Attributes As you read through the list below, you may notice that many of the attributes are quite similar to each other, and you would be absolutely correct! A lot of graduate attributes are actually very similar in nature and transferable across many disciplines. Professional Body
Graduate Attributes
Australian Human Resources Institute
Culture and Change Agent - Facilitates change in response to internal and external operating environments (AHRI, 2016)
Australian Medical Council
Demonstrates respect for colleagues (AMC, 2012) Demonstrates effective time management (AMC, 2012)
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council
Participates in quality improvement activities (ANMC, 2014)
Contributes to the professional development of others (ANMC, 2014) Uses appropriate strategies to manage own responses to the professional work environment (ANMC, 2014)
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Professional Body
Graduate Attributes
Australian Psychology Accreditation Council
Uses information in an ethical manner (e.g., acknowledge and respect the work and intellectual property rights of others through appropriate citations in oral and written communication) (APAC, 2008) Displays high standards of personal and professional integrity in relationships with others (APAC, 2008) Recognises and respects social, cultural, linguistic, spiritual, and gender diversity (APAC, 2008) Collaborates effectively, demonstrating an ability to: work with groups to complete projects within reasonable timeframes; manage conflicts appropriately and ethically (APAC, 2008)
Legal Profession Admission Board Demonstrates professional skills in negotiation and dispute resolution (LPAB, 2010) Public Relations Institute of Australia
Demonstrates skills in teamwork and independence, leadership, critical analysis, and strategic thinking (PRIA, 2016)
The Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW
Displays professional ethics and responsibilities (BOSTES, 2016)
The Council of Ambulance Authorities
Builds and sustains collaborative professional relationships as a member of a team (CAA, 2013) Identifies the characteristics and consequences of non-verbal communication and how this can be affected by culture, age, ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs, and socio-economic status (CAA, 2013) Utilises appropriate communication skills to effectively manage avoidance, confusion, and confrontation (CAA, 2013)
Reflection Questions Consider the profession you hope to join when you graduate. 1. 2. 3. 4.
What do you think are the top three graduate attributes for that profession from this table? Why would they be so important? Which three from this list do you think you are developing well already? Which three are your weakest points? How might you develop them in your subjects this session?
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References Australian Human Resources Institute. (2016). AHRI accredited courses Retrieved from https://www.ahri.com.au/education-and-training/ahri-accreditation Australian Medical Council. (2012). Standards for Assessment and Accreditation of Primary Medical Programs. Retrieved from http://www.amc.org.au/ Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. (2014). Accreditation services. Retrieved from http://www.anmac.org.au/accreditation-services Australian Psychology Accreditation Council. (2008). Graduate Attributes of the Four-Year Australian Undergraduate Psychology Program. Retrieved from https://www.psychologycouncil.org.au/ Legal Profession Admission Board. (2010). Background paper on the admission requirements. Retrieved from http://www.lpab.justice.nsw.gov.au/ Public Relations Institute of Australia. (2016). PRIA Accreditation for Educational Programs. Retrieved from http://www.pria.com.au/ The Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW. (2016). Teaching and Educational Standards NSW. Retrieved from http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/ The Council of Ambulance Authorities. (2013). Professional Competency Standards. Retrieved from http://www.caa.net.au/
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Contact Information ic@westernsydney.edu.au Western Sydney University Locked Bag 1797 Penrith NSW 2751 Australia
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