Guidance to successfully complete the ‘Apply Your Learning’ assessment

Guidance to complete the ‘Apply Your Learning’ assessment.

The Level 5 assessment is a 400-word task. You will be required to choose and write about ONE
of the following:

• A speculative cover letter to one of your top 3 organisations, highlighting your skills and experiences which make you a good fit for the organisation.
• Personal Statement to a potential post-graduate course provider highlighting your skills and experiences which make you a suitable candidate for the course.
• A written pitch to a potential funding partner outlining your project/business, and what makes you an ideal business partner.
  Career development is a unique and personal journey for everyone. No two paths are exactly alike. Everyone’s career is shaped by a combination of factors, including personal interests, skills, values, opportunities, and life experiences.

This is the reason why we wanted to give you the option when choosing to complete this assessment. A well-crafted cover letter, personal statement, or business pitch showcases not only your understanding of the industry but also how your skills and experiences align with what employers or academic programs are looking for.

If you have chosen to complete a speculative cover letter or Personal Statement, here are some tips to help you successfully complete your assessment.

Spend time researching your chosen course, Profession or Industry:

Preparation is important when planning to write your personal statement or speculative cover letter. To help you with this, we want to encourage you to spend some time reflecting on what you want to say and what you want the reader to know about you.

Here are some questions to help get you started with your planning.

• What led you to choose this postgraduate course, career path, or industry?
• What excites you about the subject, profession or industry?
• Have you got any work experience that might help you?
• How does your current course of study relate to the postgraduate program or career you're pursuing?
• What accomplishments are you most proud of?
• What skills do you possess that make you an ideal candidate for this course, career, or industry?
• What are your future career goals and aspirations?

Now that you have spent time planning and researching what you want to say, you should be ready to start your assessment. Ensure that your assessment is clearly written and well structured. Consider structuring it with an Introduction, Main Body, and Conclusion as your framework.

• Start with a Strong Introduction:

For a Personal Statement: Your introduction should clearly state why you’re applying to the course and what you hope to achieve. connecting your interests and motivations to specific aspects of the course or department demonstrates a clear alignment between your goals and what the course offers.

For a Speculative Cover Letter: Your introduction should communicate why you’re reaching out to the company and what role or type of work you’re interested in doing. Share at least one detail that connects you to the role or organisation. It could be shared professional values, a particular project that the organisation was involved in or even a similar mission that you share.
Finding and writing about these common threads can help build a strong rapport between you and the reader. It’s a great way to help the organisation feel seen and heard, which when done right is a nice feeling. They immediately have a better understanding as to why you are interested in the role, which will in turn make them curious about you and will want to read more.

• Main body: provide evidence of any relevant Skills and Experiences. Your cover letter or personal statement could include two separate paragraphs:

For a Personal Statement: Use this section to highlight academic achievements, research projects, and relevant extracurricular activities that demonstrate the skills and knowledge needed for the course. Specific examples that show your readiness for postgraduate study are key.
For a Speculative Cover Letter: Focus on professional experiences, skills, and achievements that align with the company’s needs. Providing concrete examples of how you’ve successfully used relevant skills in the past will make your application more convincing.
One key rule is to go beyond simply ‘telling’ the reader about your experiences—it's important to ‘show and tell’ them what you achieved. If you are not sure what experiences to mention, here are some questions to get you thinking:

• Can you provide examples of how you used a particular skill in a previous situation? When reflecting on this question, it is important to make sure that you link the skills to what the organisation is looking for.
•  Can you describe a challenge you faced and the steps you took to overcome it, with positive results?
•  What projects have you led or been a part of, and what were the specific outcomes of those projects?
•  Have you collaborated with others on projects? What was your role, and how did your contribution improve the outcome of the project?

Remember in career development, your evidence of success speaks louder than your words. Which is why adopting this approach can help make your assessment more convincing and impactful.

• End with a Strong Closing:

For a Personal Statement: Summarise your main points and reiterate your enthusiasm for the course. Be optimistic and share what you might want to achieve in the future. You do not have to have your future all mapped out, but it is important to let the reader know that you are
ambitious. You also might want to include what you are hoping to get out of continuing your course, e.g. do you want to specialise in a particular area? or develop specific industry skills?

For a Speculative Cover Letter: Summarise your key selling points and express your interest in exploring potential opportunities with the company. A call to action, such as requesting an informal chat to discuss your interests further can leave a lasting impression.
Business Pitch Guidance

Whether you're launching a startup, presenting an innovative idea, or seeking support for a
project, mastering the art of the business pitch is essential. A business pitch is your opportunity to present your idea in a clear, concise, and compelling way to potential investors, partners, or stakeholders.

At its core, a business pitch is about storytelling—telling the story of a problem, your solution, and why your idea stands out from the rest. It's not just about what you say, but how you say it. A great pitch captures attention, communicates the value of your idea, and inspires action.

In this section, we'll break down the key components of a successful business pitch.

• Hook: Start with a powerful, attention-grabbing sentence that immediately engages your audience. This could be a surprising fact, a provocative question, or a bold statement related to your idea.
• Problem: Clearly state the problem or pain point that you are addressing. This should be something that resonates with your audience and highlights the need for a solution.
• Solution: In one sentence, describe your solution to the problem. Focus on how your idea addresses the issue effectively and efficiently.
• Value Proposition: Explain what makes your solution unique and why it stands out from other alternatives. This is your chance to highlight the key benefits and advantages.
• Call to Action: Conclude with a strong call to action that prompts your audience to take the next step, whether it’s investing, partnering, or simply learning more.

And that’s it! You now have enough information to get you started on completing your
assessment. You can also access more resources on how to write a personal statement, speculative cover letter or business pitch by completing your Level 5 career development pathway.

Please note, as this assessment has been designed for you to reflect on your career development, you are not required to cite or show any referencing in your work.

However, to successfully complete this assessment, you will be required to create work that is authentic, original and produce written work that reflects your personal and professional expertise.

Submitting your assessment?

Once you have completed your assessment, please remember to proofread your work, checking for any spelling or grammatical mistakes before submitting it. Please note that this assessment should be completed on a Word document and submitted to Turnitin before the deadline date set by your lecturer.

The Apply your Learning assessment task accounts for 10% of your module mark. You will receive a pass mark when you complete the ‘Apply your learning- assessment’. You will receive a mark of 0 which is considered a fail if you do not complete the ‘Apply your learning- assessment’ exercise to a satisfactory standard.

Remember to take your time when completing the Career Development Pathway; they feature fantastic resources that can help you in completing this assessment. You can also get in touch with your lecturer or Academic Adviser who will be able to support you or answer any questions you have related to your assessment.