Introduction
Dr. Tomlinson used the Graduate Capital Model to assess an individual’s readiness to join the labor market at large. According to Tomlinson (2017) the key aspects include the human, social, identity, cultural and psychological capitals. The human capital covers the concepts of the students and the discipline of knowledge. Each individual should also be able to demonstrate relevant skills required in a particular field. Social capital refers to the ability of the student to build a network of career contacts and identify their roles. Cultural capital includes the student being able to understand how each organization operates. Identity capital deals with the ability of a person to conduct a self -concept evaluation and assess their values and motivation. Psychological capital covers the concept of mental well-being and the ability to cope with uncertainties. These five capitals described by Tomlinson, form the scope that as a student I should reflect upon and develop because they serve a key role during my education period and in my career development.
The Tomlinson Graduate Capital Framework
The human capital covers the aspects of professionalism and knowledge. A student should be well trained and all-rounded to be able to confidently access the job market (Wijayanama et al., 2021). As a student I have been well trained and I can use the subject knowledge and concepts in the labor market. I have acquired good grammar, research, and writing skills over time as a student. I write high-quality job applications for various organizations. My ability to demonstrate skills learned in class has helped when dealing with a patient. For instance, I can make a clinical diagnosis of a patient presenting with specific signs and symptoms before confirming it with lab tests.
Over time as a student, I have worked hard to develop my social capital. I apply my research skills to keep myself updated on any changes in the labor market. During my clinical rotations, I have been working to establish a social network and good relations with my potential employers. I have also identified key influencers in my professional area and can work on them. The resource of social capital is vital in working with the community and professional teams (Pudyanti, et al., 2022). For example, during activities such as mass community vaccination, my social skills will help me relate well with the community members making it easy for me to conduct the process. Health education is also critical in health; having good social skills will help me establish a rapport with the clients. In healthcare, teamwork is a key to delivering care to clients. Social capital is essential in forming stable workgroups and teams in healthcare.
Cultural capital entails understanding and appreciating each organization and person. I understand that the labor market has become increasingly internationalized today. This has increased interactions between people of different cultures. In an organization, there are laid cultural practices in line with its operations. I am culturally sensitive, and I recognize and appreciate the culture of each sector I work with. I always observe cultural aspects such as the dressing code and working schedules. Other concepts learned in class, such as the code of ethics, are essential as they form part of the cultural capital. When working as a health worker, it is necessary to understand that as a nurse, for example, there are specific rules such as the code of dressing (Pham et al., 2019). Patients can be of various backgrounds and cultures, and as a nurse being culturally sensitive aids in relating well with people of different traditions and beliefs.
Self-concept, values and attributes are vital aspects of identity capital. Over time I have developed a self-evaluation tool to set my goals and timeline for achieving them. This tool has enabled me to identify my strengths and weakness in my practice. This also included the concepts taught in the class on time management. In my evaluation of the identity culture, I am good at keeping time. I test myself through practice and insights for each newly acquired skill. The aspect of identity is essential in working with health teams. When forming the groups, it is crucial to focus on your area of strength and leave other parts to other members (Hien & Khanh, 2019). Identity capital is paramount in maximizing the outcome of a process. For example, in healthcare, the patient health will improve when a nurse only does what they are best at as chances of errors are minimized.
The psychological capital deals with mental well-being. I do understand that in the labor market, there are many fluctuations. I am a flexible person who can deal with any eventuality at the workplace. In extreme circumstances, I can take control and do what is necessary to resolve the situation. The process of change always presents hard transition times for people (Hien & Khanh, 2019). I have improved my ability to adapt to changes, setbacks, and transitions at work without challenges. I have mastered the skills necessary for managing workplace stress efficiently. This capital is essential when dealing with clients. For example, patients have different attitudes and behaviors, and the psychological capital will aid in understanding them and avoiding any adverse reaction.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Tomlinson Graduate Capital Framework identifies the five aspects of employability. They include the human, identity, psychological, social and cultural capitals. All these five play a paramount role in making individuals stable in their respective workplaces. These capitals play a role in ensuring productivity as one deals with their client and colleagues at work. This, therefore, enables one to develop their career path and develop other attributes such as time managing and maintaining ethical standards.
References
Hien, H. T. N., & Khanh, N. P. G. (2021). Graduate employability in double challenge of post-covid labor market and digital transformation: The role of graduate’s capitals, 4.0 skills, attributes and perceived labor market.Ho Chi Minh City Open University Journal of Science-Social Sciences, 11(2), 85-107.
Pesonen, H. V., Tuononen, T., Fabri, M., & Lahdelma, M. (2022). Autistic graduates: Graduate capital and employability. Journal of Education and Work, 35(3), 1-16.
Pham, T., Tomlinson, M., & Thompson, C. (2019). Forms of capital and agency as mediations in negotiating employability of international graduate migrants.Globalisation, Societies and Education, 17(3), 394-405.
Redi Pudyanti, A. A. A. R., Redioka, A. N. A., & Devana, V. T. (2022). Analyses based on theory of capital based approach on Indonesian graduate employability. ADI Journal on Recent Innovation, 4(1), 25-33. Web.
Tomlinson, M. (2017). Forms of graduate capital and their relationship to graduate employability. Education and Training, 59(4), 338-352.
Wijayanama, C., Ranjani, R. P. C., & Mohan, D. U. (2021). Can service learning enhance graduate capital? Evidence from Sri Lankan state universities. Kelaniya Journal of Management, 10(1).