Course Reflection Including Growth
Name
University
Course
Date
Director
Dean
As an Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) professional, my passion is to ensure employers provide the safest and most healthful workplace they can establish for their employees so that they keep them engaged in the industry as well as boost productivity within the organization (Beuses, 2020). In future, I would like to be a manager in a health and safety department for a particular organization. Moreover, I could be an executive in my own environmental, safety and Health Company. Environmental Policy & Management is therefore important for my profession as I reflect what I have learnt from the course and what I need to improve to be more effective in guiding me towards both personal and professional growth.
As I sit down and reflect the time before I enrolled in the course, I remember I was still learning general courses on environmental policies. Before the introduction into Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) course, I can say that I had brief knowledge on the issue of risks and hazards when it comes to safety and health of the employees and the environment. However, I consider that the knowledge was general but still offers me a background or foundation to learn and gain more knowledge on the course. I had background knowledge such as first aid at the workplace since I had done first aid as a course. Moreover, I had worked as an intern and a brief period in an organization in the safety department (Beuses, 2020). In these professional experiences, I gained great skills and knowledge on how to be safe and healthy as an employee. Issues such as personal protective equipment (PPE) safety and first aid I experienced at the organization were very comprehensive. They were the foundation for my learning and enrolment into this course. At the organization, I was able to undergo training on personal protection of safety and health. However, where I had little knowledge was on environmental safety and protection. Therefore, before I registered and enrolled in the course, I already have brief skills and knowledge both at the academic and professional level.
As I started the course, I was able to grow more on the concepts of personal and environmental safety and health. However, the course was not smooth as there were limitations and problems just in like in any course. Assignments related to environmental protection were challenging and difficult. Topics I comprehend, such as personal safety and health were easy as I tackled the topics properly. Sitting down to write and comprehend assignments related to environmental protection took longer. I also faced challenges related to communication as I was low on communication skills, especially in the presentation of the first assignments. Becoming an Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) professional requires patience and this course taught me patience. I had to learn aspects related to writing, reading, and research, which at the start were problems since I had not focused on much of these as they are mainly done in English major courses. Generally, at the beginning of the course, I had problems related to both written and oral communication. I had problems completing assignments on time and struggled in presenting assignments both to my peers and the professor.
However, as I went through the course, I have grown especially in my communication skills. I have been able to conduct research easily, write up the reports, and present the reports without being tensed. Comparing my early assignments and several assignments later, I have been able to grow in both written and oral communication. The BBBC Case study assignment was one of my greatest growth steps regarding communication as it entailed research, report development, and presentation (Beuses, 2020). Where I am currently working, I have been able to apply my knowledge regarding both environmental and personal safety and health as I advise my colleagues to regularly use their PPEs and how to wear them effectively to ensure that we all achieve safety of our health. At the department, we undertake projects where I have applied my improved communication skills to conduct research, write reports, and present the reports to the department head and my colleagues. I have also helped the safety department at the organization conduct risk assessment and management effectively.
As I improve my skills and knowledge further regarding environmental policy & management, I seek to achieve more growth personally and professionally. There is no end to personal and professional growth. Every human being seeks to grow since where one is today cannot be the same as tomorrow or ten years to come. One would have gained more skills and knowledge on their respective fields and generally in life. As I continue in my Master of Science in Environmental Policy & Management, I look forward to the program to grow my skills and knowledge. Apart from that, I seek to use the program to get better positions and one day grow to be a department head for the safety department if not in my current organization, then another organization. My department head at the current organization has encouraged and promised me to finish my masters and earn a promotion at the workplace. Therefore, this shows that the program has already shown its gains.
In sum, I have been able to learn much more on environmental and personal safety and health through the course. My academic and professional or working background was an advantage in the course as it was easier on the issue of personal safety and health. The challenge was in communication skills and the issue of environmental safety. However, after the course, I have gained extensive knowledge on environmental safety and how at the workplace, we can be able to ensure the environment is safe for us all. Moreover, I have improved both my oral and written communication skills.
Bibliography
Beuses, J. 2020. Improving the Health and Safety Management System of BBBC. University of
Denver University College.
Beuses, J. 2020. Cover Letter: Improving the Safety and Health Management System of
BBBC. University of Denver University College.
Beuses, J. 2020. Pre-Seminar Reflection 1. University of Denver University College.