Unit 1: Communication and

Employability Skills for ITUNIT INTRODUCTION

Aim and purpose

Learners will understand:

the personal attributes valued by employers

the principles of communicating effectively

Whilst

developing effective communication skills

addressing their own personal development needs.

Unit introduction

. What is your next step on completion of this

course?

• Higher education

• Degree

• HND

• Masters

• PhD

• Employment

• Full-time

• With more education (e.g. apprenticeship)

• Other

No right or wrong answer.

Today’s decision is not binding!

Next step – task 1

.

For your next step, what do you

think you will need to get there?

Write a list of attributes you think

you will need to show to a

possible employer or education

provider.

• Feedback

http://radicalhonesty.com/2016/05/

19/co-creating-life-of-play-service-

2016/stepping-stones/

Next step – task 1 - feedback

Hard skills – qualifications, experience

Soft skills – dealing with others, problem-solving

General attitudes – conscientious, enthusiastic

http://radicalhonesty.com/2016/05/

19/co-creating-life-of-play-service-

2016/stepping-stones/

Next step – task 1 - feedback

Hard skills – qualifications, experience

Soft skills – dealing with others, problem-solving

“appreciate the soft skills they need to develop to become effective

employees. Learners will identify and consider their own soft skills and,

through practice, improve these skills.”

General attitudes – conscientious, enthusiastic

According to the College of North

West London…

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Communication skills

key to success in any sector

particularly important in highly technical sectors such as IT where the

language used can become full of jargon

able to communicate with non-technical staff

understand when different types and vehicles of communication are

appropriate.

IT provides specific software packages and advanced tools that can be

used to improve the effectiveness of communications

Personal Development (CPD, PDP)

need for continual self-development to maintain

effectiveness.

personal development plans can be used to capture

and track

training needs

the accumulation of new skills and knowledge.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the personal attributes valued by

employers

2. Understand the principles of effective

communication

3. Be able to use IT to communicate effectively

4. Be able to address personal development

needs

Plan for the unit

1. Understand the principles of effective

communication – need to use this in (2)

2. Be able to address personal development

needs – need to write a plan, action it and

review it

3. Understand the personal attributes valued by

employers

4. Be able to use IT to communicate effectively

Understand the principles of effective

communication

general skills

interpersonal skills

written communication skills

General communication skills

cultural differences;

adapting eg

modulating voice,

terminology,

format;

accuracy;

engaging audience eg

changing intonation,

use of technology;

question and answer

Cultural differences

HSBC

Erin Meyer

Factors:

Ethnicity

Religion

Age

Social background

Gender

Adapting

adapting modulating voice,

terminology,

format;

Terminology

How many different meanings

could there be?

Boot

Bus

Shift

What on earth?

802.11 standard

wireframe

URL

RPC

CGI

UDP

DVI

HDMI

USB

DAW

Explain

acronyms on

first use in any

piece of

writing or a

presentation

Format

What is the best way to present this information?

Nature of the information

The intended audience

Possible formats

Written

Audio

Face-to-face

telephone

Video

Text(SMS {Short Message Service}

Specialist formats for accessibility:

• Braille (and Moon)

• Makaton and Easy Read

• Subtitling

• Sign language

• Other languages

• Summary documents

Possible platforms:

• Live audience

• Web-pages

• Social media

• Written publications:

• Book

• Professional journal

• Magazine/newspaper article

Task - formats

Produce a brief description of at least 6 different formats which can be

used to produce information so that they meet government guidelines on

accessibility.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inclusive-

communication/accessible-communication-formats

Extension:

Research the required format for submission of an article to a professional

journal such as IET Research Journals, (The institution of Engineering and

Technology