Local Company Research - University Of Leeds

The University of Leeds was established in 1904, although its roots go back to the 19th century with the launching of the Leeds School of Medicine which later became the Yorkshire College of Science. The Leeds School of Medicine ensured that medical scholars could get their education in Leeds instead of moving to London, Scotland or abroad for education. Forty years later the Yorkshire College of Science opened mainly because problems with the natural cotton and textile Sectors which were more advanced in other European countries and presented a risk to the local textile trade (University of Leeds, 2019).

Nowadays, The University of Leeds is amongst the top ten in the United Kingdom as has been outlined by the Guardian in 2019. It is well-known for its substantial student rate satisfaction, with 89% of students demonstrating their content for getting their education. In terms of campus facilities, it was positioned at the second place in the United Kingdom according to a Guardian Survey (University of Leeds, 2019).

The Values of the University of Leeds includes Integrity, inclusiveness, community and professionalism. These values are essential components for their Strategic Plan and assist their decisions and the way they operate (University of Leeds, 2019).

The University of Leeds operates nationally employing more than 8.000 people. It provides education solutions for students all over the world and generates the revenue of 674 million pounds. For those students completing their degree, the institution has a graduate scheme which usually students can apply in January via the University website.

According to Glassdoor website reviews, the University of Leeds is rated at 4.1, eighty-seven percent of people suggested the University to their friendsand sixty-nine per cent of people accept the CEO. It provides flexible working hours, the opportunity of overtime, acceptable remuneration and enjoyable place to work. Some people assume that if teachers were back in control, the institution could improve (Glassdoor, 2019)

The university is equipped with labs containing more 1,800 computers, which indicates that it has a complex IT system. Some of these labs are open at any hour and the facilities are equipped with high-speed wireless internet connections.

Recently, the University of Leeds has spent more than 120 million pounds developing two new modern buildings which will serve as facilities for the disciplines of physical science and engineering. International students can be embraced by the institution since it has a multicultural campus and more than 7,000 scholars from different countries in the World are studying at the university.

Professor John Ladbury is the Executive Dean of the Faculty of biological sciences and he was educated at the University of Greenwich with a PhD and Master degree and the University of London with B.Sc with Honours in Chemistry and Physics (University of Leeds, 2019).

The University of Leeds has two main competitors which are the University of Warwick, considered as the number one with revenue of 5 million dollars, followed by the University of York with revenue of 5 million dollars (Owler, 2019).

Some of the Key Achievements of the University of Leeds includes:

- Positioned amongst the top 10 best institutions in the United Kingdom - 2019

- Positioned amongst the top 100 best universities in the world - 2019

- University lecturers have been honoured with twenty-five national teaching fellowships.

- Top ten institutions for research power in the United Kingdom.

- Honoured with the Queen’s Anniversary prize.

In this section, I will illustrate crucial laws, regulations and moral values which computer network professionals ought to take into consideration at their workplaces. I will give a general overview of the following

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which replaced the Data Protection Act and deals with data privacy and security; the Computer Misuse Act which stipulates laws to protect PC users from computer-related crimes and finally the Copyright Design and Patents Act (CDPA) which protects legal Intellectual property rights. In addition, I will also illustrate situations where moral and ethical values can play an important role.

A. My Priorities:
	What I'm going to do	When I 'm going to do it	How I'm going to do it.	Expected Completion data
1.	ImprovingMicrosoft Operating Systems skills	After concluding the Computing (Top-up) Degree.	By Taking the Microsoft Certified Solution Associate (MCSA) Certification.	1 year
2.	Developing Troubleshooting Skills	After concluding the Computing (Top-up) Degree.	By Taking the CompTIA A+ Certification.	6 Months
3.	Improving Communication Skills (Verbal and Written).	After concluding the Computing (Top-up) Degree.	By using the online English Language Learning Platform (Babbel). After finishing the online course, I will take the Cambridge C2 Proficiency exam.	2 Years

B. How will I know that I have improved?
1.	The most effective method to track student's learning progress is by completing practice tests at the end of each module and at the end of the course by passing three official Microsoft exams (70-740, 70-741 and 70-742).
2.	In order to track student´s learning progress, it is recommended to complete all required exercises from the learning materials and at the end course taking two official CompTIA exams (220-1001 and 220-1002).
3.	The Online English Language Learning Platform Babbel has the ability to track student’s progress and let them know exactly what area needs to be improved. It is also recommended to validate the language skills by taking a recognised English Language official test.

Rationale For Development Plan

In this section, I will concisely explain why I have selected the three skills which I am planning to develop such as Microsoft Operating Systems, Troubleshooting Skills (Hardware) and communication skills.

Communication Skills

Communication skills are among the most essential and beneficial abilities a job applicant can bring to any firm in order to make a contribution to the success of any business. It is crucial to realize that employees who form a company require qualitative communication skills since they have to interact via such skills of communication. The better the communication, the more opportunities will the company have to achieve its goals.

Developing excellent communication skills translates to having the ability to communicate clearly and efficiently, simultaneously in the verbal and written modes. For those individuals for whom English is not their native language, it is always recommended to continue improving the language until they feel that they are able to communicate in the English language at the same level as their native languages.

With the advancement of technology, there are several effective online platforms and resources available that can be used for anyone interested in developing their language skills.

Some of the benefits which excellent communication can offer to the work environment are as the following:

- Efficiency: Good communication skills allow individuals to communicate their points precisely, have better interaction with co-workers and converse with customers more efficiently (Activia Training, 2019).

- Team building: Good communication ability also assists with team development and helps to ensure that collaborative task based working teams could operate effectively (Activia Training, 2019).

- Productivity: Good communication competencies can aid individuals to turn into more effective and productive during engagement with their responsibilities at their workplaces (Activia Training, 2019).

- Career Advancement: Individuals that can properly communicate with superiors and co-workers are in a better position to progress their career (Activia Training, 2019).

Microsoft Operating systems

In my view, the operating systems are one of the most important elements of a computer network due to the fact of being the platform that users in an organisation use for their daily job activities.

According to studies, more than 80 per cent of firms in the world use Microsoft based Operating Systems. Thus, the development of more advanced knowledge in Microsoft products can translate into more job opportunities for IT students and this is the main reason that acquiring an in-depth and extensive knowledge in Microsoft products is crucial for IT job aspirants.

If we pay close attention, it will be noticed that one of the first subjects an Information Technology student has to learn will be one related to Operating Systems. The levels of operating system knowledge acquired at the university are considerably lower than what Microsoft official courses can provide, they create the technology and they often update the same knowledge. That is the reason good IT educators advice students to get certification in particular areas of interest.

Troubleshooting Skills

Hardware Troubleshooting requires possession of crucial skills to perform, especially for those individuals applying for Help Desk Support. Hardware Troubleshooting is the process of detecting faults on internal computer components, most often the process of troubleshooting is more complex than it seems due to the fact of each component behaves differently when hardware problem related arrive. In order to develop a strong foundation on hardware troubleshooting, educators recommend pursuing the CompTIA A+ Certification.

ELEMENT 1

In this section, I will provide a Research produced on the University of Leeds for my selected job which is Windows 7 Upgrade Engineer, I will also provide information of the role advertisement details.

ELEMENT 2

Please note that the presentation on a critical appraisal and evaluation of current trends and techniques within the IT Support area was already submitted on Moodle in a separate document.

ELEMENT 3

In this section, I will identify legal and ethical issues associated with employment in the IT Support Specialist area. There are Laws and regulations which the IT professionals ought to take into consideration at their workplaces. It will be discussing the following laws and regulations: the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which replaced the Data Protection Act and deals with security and data privacy; the Computer Misuse Act which stipulates laws that protect PC users from computer-related crimes and the copyright Design Act (CDPA) which protects intellectual properly legal rights. In addition to this, I will also illustrate the situations where moral and ethical values can play an important role.

ELEMENT 4

In this section, I will include material and proof to assist future employment which are the Curriculum vitae (CV) and the Skills Gap Analysis.

ELEMENT 5

In this section, I will provide the development plan identifying three selected key areas which are Microsoft Operating System(OS), Troubleshooting Skills and Communication skills and these require effective improvements.

ELEMENT 6

In this Section, I will provide a Rationale for the development plan explaining the reason I have selected the Microsoft Operating System, Troubleshooting Skills and Communication skills.

PORTFOLIO REFLECTION

This portfolio is a compilation of professional documentation that will aid me in making more effective job applications. There are six distinct elements which composed the employability skills discipline which represents the different sections in this portfolio.

Element one equipped me with the ability to conduct the most effective company research with the purpose of collecting essential information regarding the job of my particular interest and use this information in the Interview process.

Element two assisted me in identifying the modern advancements and techniques within the IT Support Field.

Element three prepared me with the potential of recognizing laws and regulation that every single IT Professional must comply with at the workplace and that the moral factor should always be present.

Element four was one of the most important elements. It provided me with the required expertise of producing a correct Curriculum vita (CV) and for performing a skill Gap Analysis.

Element five and six relate to the element four. After being able to identify the areas that require improvement it is crucial to have a realistic action plan and develop these abilities based upon our needs.