PPD - Task 2 "Why Am I Here - What do I want to achieve?"

For Task 2 of the Personal and Professional Development (PPD), I have to answer five different questions about the course, why I picked it and how I feel about my abilities on the course. Below are the questions, along with the answers.


Five reasons why I chose to study on this programme:

1. I have always enjoyed making and being practical, whether in class or outside in my own hobbies.
2. I enjoy the feeling of being proud of something I have created.
3. I wanted to do something which involved making pieces of work which will last for years, and can be passed down from generation to generation.
4. I have always wanted to be multi-skilled, and wanted to have this alongside my computing abilities.
5. I have always wanted to either be self employed, or become a teacher, and this course will give me the abilities to become involved in either career.

Five things that I want to learn during my time on the programme:

1. How to produce furniture that can either be mass produced, or one of production for certain clients.
2. To learn how to effectively communicate my ideas and thought processes though drawings and mood boards.
3. Learn how to effectively teach and / or run a successful private business.
4. How to use all the hand tools properly, including maintenance (such as sharpening).
5. Learn how to correctly assemble all the different types of joint, either using hand tools or machines, depending on what I can access at the time.

Five skills that I think are my strengths: 

1. My ability to communicate successfully and help / learn from people on the course and the course leaders, as this is something that I have been doing for many years helping at groups such as the Scouts.
2. I have a very keen eye, which means that I like to get something completed to the best of my ability and time.
3. I feel that I have good computer skills, which means I have been able to carry on with my blog and design images on the different posts easily and successfully.
4. I have previous experience in wood craft and furniture making, and feel that some of this knowledge is very helpful for this course.
5. I am quiet a tidy person, which means I keep a tidy bench and always know where a tool is when I need it.

Five things that I want to improve:

1. My organisation skills, as I tend not to manage time very wisely.
2. My drawing skills and getting my ideas onto paper and making them look realistic and proportional, as I struggle with this a lot.
3. Hand production techniques, as I struggle with simple things such as sawing accurately.
4. Improve my knowledge of the general course, especially designers and the history of furniture making.
5. My understanding of all the types of tools, including the machines which are available to me, and how to use them correctly and most efficiently.

Five ways that I will evaluate my progress:

1. The marks and grades that I get for the assignments and furniture that I produce for the different modules.
2. The verbal feedback that I receive from family, course mates and course leaders.
3. My personal opinions on my work, and how well I feel that a module as been completed.
4. The subject knowledge that I have gained, and how this will help me to quickly and easily find the answers or ways to carry out pieces of work.
5. How successful a piece of work has gone, and how professional it looks, such as a written assignment, or a joint.

Five questions that I want to find the answer to:

1. How do I turn my interest in furniture making into a successful and profitable business?
2. How do I find good places to purchase my tools and raw material from?
3. How do I build up positive feedback and a large client base?
4. How to set up and use a hand plane properly?
5. How to apply wood finishes properly and aesthetically?