Overall Achievement of TGC's in Taylor's

I have been studying at Taylor’s University since 2017 August; I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Degree in Tourism Management (Event Management) (Honors). During my time here, I have familiarized myself with Taylor’s Graduate Capabilities (TGC’s) and applied them to the modules that I have covered as well as internships 1 & Internship 2.

To begin with, I have achieved TGC 1: Discipline Specific Knowledge because I am able to put theories that I have studied in modules such as Exhibition Management and Entertainment Management into practice when I am at my workplace at Team Grey Group (Internship 1). It has taught me the importance of understanding ethical issues in the context of the events industry and to practice being professional when dealing with employers, clients, and the other stakeholders involved in the event.

TGC 2: Lifelong Learning is another essential cognitive skill I have achieved because I am able to learn independently and utilize information effectively. This is because I have completed many modules which include individual projects that allow me to be intellectually engaged. For example, Introduction to Finance was a module that was extremely difficult for me to understand, however, I managed to learn independently and apply my skills during my internship.

Moreover, I have gained TGC 3: Thinking and Problem-solving skills. I personally believe that this is an extremely significant skill I have accomplished because I can think critically and creatively to analyze problems and arrive at effective solutions. Most of the event-based modules such as Event Concept required me to make contingency plans for different inconveniences that may arise. This allowed me to enhance TGC 3 immensely and apply it at work. For example, when a vendor does not show up on time or when there is a delay in the schedule.

One of the soft skills I have accomplished is TGC 4: Communication Skills. When I first started studying at Taylor’s University, my communication skills were much weaker. As a 24 festive drum performer since my high school life, I realized that I have no stage fright but when I had to give presentations and I struggled to explain my point especially when using my second language, English. I used to study in the Chinese independence school for 6 years which made me not so confident to speak English instead of the Chinese language. However, over time, I was able to communicate appropriately in various settings and modes. For example, the module Event Project Management required me to pitch for an event proposal to the industry players and this experience improved my communication skills even further. I was able to lead my group to finish the pitching and finally, I became the project leader for the Live Event Project (Glow Taylor's Lakeside Festival) in semester 6 as a part of our final year project. Other than that I was also able to apply my communication skills during my internship when I had consultations with clients and especially my colleagues in the company. During the 10 weeks, times for my Internship 1 at Team Gre Group was really a fantastic time for me.

Another skill I have acquired is TGC 5: Interpersonal Skills. I am able to understand team dynamics and work well with others in a team because I have done many group assignments in modules such as Event Project Management, Research Methods, and Tourism and Hospitality Law, and even Live Event Project. Being a group leader most of the time, I am responsible to distribute the workload & tasks to my group members & committee members evenly in order to prevent any arguments happen within my group and we can finish our tasks before the deadline given by the lecturers. I was able to apply this at my internship when I worked with the other interns and event staff members in Team Grey Group. In my opinion, being able to work with a team is critical, especially when I enter the working life after graduating where I have to work as a team with my colleagues. Organizing an Event is not a One-Man Show, we need to collaborate well with the team members in order to bring the biggest positive outcome to the event itself and satisfy all the participants who involved. 

Furthermore, I have obtained TGC 6: Intrapersonal Skills. I can manage myself better and be more self-reliant. It is an important skill to be able to reflect on one’s actions and learning in order to grow and make a difference. For example, the module Principles of Finance was an extremely difficult module for me, however, I was able to rely on myself to figure it out on my own and reflect on my individual work to better myself for the final exam. Likewise, at the workplace, I was able to be self-reliant when a situation occurred at the event site and nobody was there to tell me a solution.

TGC 7: Citizenship and Global Perspectives is being aware of and forming diverse perspectives by understanding the value of civic responsibility and community engagement. This is definitely a soft kill I have achieved, considering the amount of diversity present in all of my classes and also the workplace. I am able to think from different perspectives instead of one when making choices because not everyone has the same view on things whether it is an assignment or a task at work. I truly believe that understanding the global perspective can help me to get far in life, especially when I graduate and enter the real world.

Last but not least, TGC 8: Digital Literacy is the effective use of information and communication technology (ICT) and related technologies. When I first began studying at Taylor’s University, I did not possess as much digital literacy skills, for example, I did not know how to design digitally. During the module Design for Events taught by Ms. Nadia in Semester 2, I was introduced to Adobe Illustrator where I learned the basics. It sparked my interest in design and I have done numerous event design work for events that I involved. Other than Adobe Illustrator (AI), the module of Digital Medias that taught by Ms. Khairiah also introduces us to some online design platforms like Canva, Piktochart, and Wixx to let us build our own profile in order to become more competitive within the event industry.

4 years in Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus since August 2017 is a great learning journey. Taylor’s University is not only a place to study but also a place to shape an individual before stepping into the working industry. In conclusion, Taylor’s Graduate Capabilities (TGC’s) have given me progressive achievements and the ability to plan and improve my skills over the years not only in the event industry. I look forward to developing my skills further in the future to become the best version of myself.