Professional Development Week (PDW) Reflection

10/06/2024 - 30/06/2024 / Week 08

Ellyn Saw Mei Hui / 0353358
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media 
Professionial Development Week Reflection

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PDW Reflection:

♡ During our ILW (week 08) Taylor's arranged a 'Professional Development Week' for us. There were different workshops available for us to attend and it's basically to help us understand the working industry better. Everyone had to choose a total of 5 sessions to attend. The ones I chose were:

• "Financial Literacy for Fresh Graduate” by Maybank
• Keynote: “Aspire to Inspire” by Pos Malaysia
• "The Art of Storytelling" by KakiSeni
• "Maximize Your LinkedIn Presence" by BDO
• "A.I. in Digital Media" by Malaysian Advertisers Associaiton (MAA)

The first workshop by Maybank talked about the importance of financial planning and savings. Before attending the workshop, I only knew that savings is important but this workshop helped made me realise that long term financial planning and choosing to invest can be beneficial to us too. The workshop further explained that it is only considered an investment when you expect a return in your money in the long term. Short term returns like 1 week, 3 months, etc is probably gambling. 

Next, Charles Brewer - CEO of Pos Malaysia gave insignts on industry, honesty, passion and emotional quotient. Reflecting on the workshop, he mentioned that it's crucial to remember where we come from—staying grounded in humility and authenticity keeps us true to ourselves. Another thing worth to note is that our actions should harmonize with our values; if our song and dance don't match, people will see through it. Also we shouldn't shy away from visibility in our organization; make our presence known. In navigating conflicts, I’ve learned from this workshop that not every fight is worth engaging in. Sometimes, letting go may be the most strategic move. It is important to choose our battles wisely and conserve energy for what truly matters!

The third workshop is by Low Ngai Yuen from Kakiseni. She shared that storytelling isn’t merely about how we craft our words; it’s equally about how they are received and interpreted by others. This workshop taught me that when I want to effectively communicate, I need to be clear about what I want to convey and choose the right method to express it. Besides, storytelling is a multi-dimensional experience. It’s not confined to just the written or spoken word but it can be visual as well! Using images, videos, and slides can enhance the storytelling process, making the message more compelling and accessible. Visual aids often bridge gaps that words alone cannot, providing a richer, more immersive experience. However, it is important to note that every story is unique and should be judged on its own merits, rather than in comparison to others. Each person brings their own perspective to storytelling and this diversity enriches the narrative landscape. Ulitmately, I learnt that successful storytelling is about aligning my message with my audience’s needs and interests, using all available tools—whether they be words, visuals, or interactive elements—to make a lasting impact. 

Personally, I think the fourth workshop was the most beneficial and it was about how to maximise our LinkedIn presence. As someone who is soon going to graduate and step into working life, knowing how LinkedIn works and what to include is helpful since many of us use it to seek for jobs or recruiters use it to look for possible candidates to hire as employees. The speaker of this workshop was clear and precise! The slides were also organised very neatly so the information was easy to read and understand. It basically just taught us what informations we could include in each section of our LinkedIn profile to make it look more appealing especially to recruiters. The last workshop was by Hassan from Grab and it's about how we can use AI to help us in our tasks. He mentioned that AI is not discrupting us but instead it is helping us to carry our some of our tasks more efficiently. He said that learning how to use technology and marketing with AI is important nowadays as technology keeps advancing.

In conclusion, these workshops have collectively enriched my knowledge and skills, providing practical tools and insights that will aid me in financial planning, effective communication, professional branding, and utilizing technology in the workplace. Each session offered unique and actionable lessons that will undoubtedly benefit my future endeavors!