AD207 Work Based Learning SWOT Analysis

For my work placement I decided to apply for work in the alterations business based in Cork, Ireland, which I was completing over 3 days a week for the period of a one month.

STRENGHTS

What sections of work did I complete well?

One of the strengths that I could use during the tasks assigned to me was the fact that I had the previous experience in pattern cutting, which helped me a lot when I was asked during one of ma tasks, when I was asked to alter the pattern for one of the garments- a coat that has to be taken in and the old lining of it had to be redone from the “scratch”.

As I also had a previous experience and knowledge about the industrial machines, my supervisor could save the time on the introduction process during the first days of my work placement.

OPPORTUNITIES

I found my work placement to be extremely helpful in terms of broadening my experience in the area I did not have a chance to work before. I must say I found it easier to create the garment from the “scratch” rather than trying to alter the already existing ones. 

My supervisor was in the same time the owner of the business, which in my case meant that he put more effort on teaching me and passing the knowledge to me in the most efficient way, so that I as a person representing his business while at work could perform with the best of my abilities.

As he was an extremely calm and patient person, there risk of stress, which you encounter normally while starting in any new job, was in my case not present.  As I am highly competitive person, I found sometimes finding myself in the situation when I tried to impress my supervisor in having my job done properly and also in the possible shortest time, which resulted sometimes in the quality of my alterations, especially the stitching not being actually up to the highest standards. The support form the supervisor I received was that I was only learning and he would have preferred me working slower and more accurately, rather than rushing and having garments done less precisely.

I also have the possible to work set up face to face contact with the customers, learn how to work with them, how to run business run proper and polite conversation, how to be a good listener and carefully record what their request in terms of altering the garments were.  

I also gained the knowledge and more experience how to be a good team worker and also how to work under pressure, especially when customers wanted have the garments done in an extremely quick time frame.

I learned a lot from person whose 25 years of broad experience working as a seamstress and pattern cutter in different companies around countries like Germany, UK, Turkey and Ireland. From this perspective my supervisor had the experience and the knowledge of different working cultures and etiquettes and practises, which he sheared with me and thoughts me about during my work based process, which enabled me to learn that every customer and his requirements are different and therefore my attitude and approach should also differ based on what type of customer I am dealing with.

From the experience I gained during work experience I managed to get a few offers of alteration from private customers, which I am very proud of.

WEAKNESSES

I cab honestly say that I found it hard to gather and remember all the information passed on to me during the first few days of work placement, simply due to the fact that the amount of alterations during my day’s shift sometimes exceeded twenty alteration with different type of garments and sometimes due to the workload I did not have enough time to make notes on what particular steps for each alteration were.

I also never worked and was allowed to thread the industrial overlocker machines and therefore when asked to thread one of them during my work placement I was not able to perform correctly.

THREATS

On e of the threats that come to my mind was the fact that due to the necessity of long travel between England and Ireland and sometimes my late night arrivals, I found it hard to offer my 100% efficiency during the first few hors of work.

Also the fact that when asked to sometimes come for additional days I was no able to come to work, due to the fact I was at college.