My Learning Journey - My online CV

Having only just realised the importance of a personal brand online, it was fair to say when I searched for myself on www.123people.com that I did not have an effective digital footprint. I was disappointed with this and so here is my blog – the beginning of my digital footprint.

My first ever fieldwork experience in Geology was at Colchester Sixth Form College. I was 17 and visited the Isle of Arran for a week. This was not a compulsory trip, but felt it was necessary to get out in the field, and see real formations for myself. It allowed me to practice my strike and dip in the field, which I am now completely happy with calculating by myself.  This took place at Easter in 2011, where we worked in small groups during the day, getting to know what it feels like to be a geological mapper, followed by one days’ worth of independently mapping. Easter 2013, I returned to the Isle of Arran and completed another ten days of fieldwork but in a different area of the island. Not only did this refresh my mind of the fieldwork basics I had learnt at Sixth Form, my fieldwork leader was an ex-BGS worker, and so I was learning from a professional who is at the top of his field. Here we mapped 1km² independently which was daunting at first but great fun. I developed many skills needed as a Geologist in this experience. Not only did I have to plan and organise my days effectively as I was only in the vicinity for a certain amount of days, I needed to be flexible too in terms of tide times. I had to manage my own development to ensure I got the most out of my learning trip.

The summer of 2013, I went with a group of three girls to the Isle of Man for two weeks and mapped independently 3km² peninsula with little knowledge of the area and with little assistance from our mapping tutor back in Leicester. Not only was this a complete learning curve, I now am comfortable if I come across something in the field which isn’t obvious to the eye to begin with. I developed the ability to use my initiative at all times in the field, whether it was weather related or a process of elimination to work out the puzzle. Although I was mapping independently, I did have a mapping partner close by, and I learnt to be very conscientious when looking out for my safety as well as my mapping partner’s safety, which challenged my ability to work as a team when needed. I am normally very good at working within a team as demonstrated in my part time work, but when you are out on Geology fieldwork, the issues and challenges that arise tend to be very different from the workplace, which demonstrates my flexibility.

Whilst at Colchester Sixth Form College and whilst I am home from university during holidays, I am a qualified Healthcare Advisor with Boots UK. Having originally been placed in a small store within an estate, I understand how the whole shop and pharmacy run – even though my main role is the legal selling of pharmacy medicines otherwise known as p-meds. I have had experience of serving customers as well as handling complaints which has helped to develop my interpersonal skills. Within a small store which has fewer employees, I have also developed the ability to work under pressure when one goes sick. Before I began university, I was one of three main key holders to the store and whilst on duty, I would be trusted with the safe and store keys. From the age of sixteen, I feel this is a hugely successful reflection on how responsible and mature I am as an individual.

My interest in pharmacy arose when I completed a two week work experience at my secondary school as part of my Trident Gold Award. Also as part of this I had to undergo a similar amount of hours volunteering which resulted in me being granted with a ‘v100’ Award for completing 100 hours. This included volunteering at festival, 1^st Coggeshall Brownies and my time on the Braintree District Youth Council and the Young Essex Assembly. I feel that this shows I have been an active student whilst studying from an early age. More recently, I have become a member of the Geological Society and the Mineralogical Society where I hope to keep my participation up and manage my own development. I feel that from a young age, I have been able to communicate with people of different ages and from different backgrounds comfortably which has been aided from my active enthusiasm as a teenager. This has helped me dramatically when meeting new people at university and giving presentations to a group of 60 students for example. I am a conscientious individual and I’ve been told I come across very confident when having to speak to a crowd.

I feel as though I understand the importance of portraying myself now, which I have not done so before this blog online. I am much more online aware, and feel that if I had not begun this Leicester Award, I would still not know about the importance. Although I already had Facebook and Twitter, I now have a career related Twitter, a LinkedIn account which I am beginning to complete day by day and this blog, which hopefully will begin to give me an effective digital footprint. This blog will begin to be updated on a regular basis, as well as containing links to all my other social media sites.

Written: 17th July 2013