Components of an impressive re-entry action plan (REAP): The secret lies with your mentor

With the impending closing of application for the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS) 2019 intake, a number of my good friends are asking me tips regarding one of the four application documents: the Re-Entry Action Plan (REAP). In my opinion, this may be the most important requirement that needs to be submitted, considering that you already have an above average academic record and career experience: graduated with honours, if not, evidence of undertaking a post-graduate degree; a robust extra-curricular involvement with you holding some key positions; some publications; a Philippine Regulatory Commission (PRC)-issued professional license (e.g., chemist, engineer, geologist, etc.); relevant work experience to your preferred degree in Australia; and others. But if you only have a few of these, please do not be discouraged from applying. Why? Because if your academic and career experiences may be lacklustre, but you have a SOLID and FEASIBLE REAP, you still have a chance to get accepted. If you know in your heart that you have so much to genuinely and passionately offer, that will shine through your application. Just a caveat though: the goal here is to share MY OWN experiences and observations in drafting your REAP. I do not have a large data set where I gathered numerous information and extrapolated a conclusive finding. Following my advice does not guarantee you the scholarship. So, tread with caution. 

To assemble an impressive REAP, there are four things you need to consider, in descending order: your mentor; the feasibility of the project (includes your methodology and output); the potential impact of your REAP; and the beneficiary (organisation/institution). Taken altogether, this produces a solid project that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound (SMART) that can help your AAS application stand out compared to other applicants, who are as good, or better, than you. You will face a very tough competition in the open category as you will compete with applicants from all over the Philippines. So you need to be ready and give it your best shot. As what St. Maria Candida said, ‘anything worth doing, is worth doing well.’ Enough chit-chat and let’s get down to business. Below is the elaboration of the steps to create an impressive REAP:

1. Choose your MENTOR wisely. 

Find a mentor first and foremost. Your mentor can guide you in the following:

> Identifying a problem that needs to be addressed by your REAP

Instead of racking your brain looking for a problem to identify in the REAP (check out the template in the website), take advantage of your mentor’s breadth and depth of knowledge and experience. Your mentor more or less knows the current scenario of your field of interest and can identify the gaps that need to be addressed within that field. That gap is something specific that your REAP can answer. This action saves you a lot of time and energy in thinking of a grandiose problem that you need to solve— a characteristic that your REAP should not have. Letting your mentor identify a gap narrows down the problem scope and you can devote your energy in researching some literature/material regarding the current activities/studies in that field.

> Identifying the competencies you need to gain to execute your REAP

Because your mentor also holds the answer to the gap that was identified, s/he now can help you find a solution for the gap and corollary to that, determine which competencies you need to gain to execute the solution. In addition, your mentor can suggest which Universities can best build your capacities.

> Charting your career path and personal growth

Your mentor should not only be technically competent (I think that’s already a given if s/he’s the director/head of the organisation), but your mentor must be a nurturing one — someone who has your best interests at heart and is willing to guide you every step of the way. Technically competent and nurturing — these are the two core attributes you should look for in a mentor. In addition, I recommend that your mentor should hold a key position within the organisation/institution s/he is part of. This is important because upon coming back from your studies in Oz, your mentor can and will help you realise your REAP. Holding a key position, s/he can facilitate the implementation of your project.

My mentor is Dr. Renato U. Solidum, Jr., the current Undersecretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). Not only is he an important figure and a heavyweight in his field, but he possesses both attributes I have identified above: technically competent and nurturing. He helped me in formulating my REAP and he went above and beyond the technical aspect of it. He nurtured me and mentored me; sitting down with me and guiding me throughout the process of obtaining the scholarship, finishing my degree, and facilitating my REAP. I am very blessed to have him as my mentor. I pray that you also find a mentor who can match your passion and personality. :) 

2. Make sure your REAP is feasible.

The REAP should have a simple yet highly practical use. For example it can be a universal method that can be adopted by other agencies/institutions to facilitate their day-to-day operations. Remember to be SMART about your REAP: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-bound. This would automatically happen if the gap and solution you have formulated is appropriate for the REAP. 

Most of the REAPs I have encountered, including mine, are simple and doable. It does not aim to solve problems like climate change or sea-level rise or global warming. However, what it aims to address are simple yet CRUCIAL problems within a process. For example in a government agency, say BIR, you see the need of doing an online platform where multiple collaborators within the agency can upload their input in a real-time manner, thereby letting taxpayers access up-to-date information regarding their taxes. You can be that person to develop this platform and it can be SMART and has a big potential to impact society. A simple task but big impact. To simplify further, instead of actually developing the platform,  your REAP’s output is a document containing the development framework for this online platform— yes, a document and not the functioning online platform itself. The beauty of this is you have the OPTION to develop it further by actually constructing the online platform. But for the REAP, having a document as an output is enough and feasible.  

3. A high impact factor in your REAP is favourable.

Your REAP should be small enough for it to branch out and produce more results. Think FISSION. May kakayahan dapat ‘manganak nang manganak’ yung REAP mo because it is such a keystone project, everything that revolves around it will fall into place. See my example in number two. When you read examples of successful REAPs, you would think, ‘ang simple lang nung pinagsimulan nito ah’, but it already gave rise to a myriad of other projects working towards a common goal that when collected together, makes such a great impact to society. There are a number of REAPs that you can browse in the AA website; it may serve as a guide and inspire you to propose something similar to your mentor.

4. Consider the organisation/institution that will benefit from your REAP

Preferably an organisation/agency/institution that has the potential to contribute significantly to society. However, I do have some colleagues whose organisations were private firms and they still got accepted. I would just like to add this tip so your REAP will have more weight and impact when evaluated. 

There you have it, the four components in creating an impressive REAP. Again, I reiterate that having all four does not guarantee you the scholarship as there are other factors to consider. You may have an excellent REAP but do not have the attributes and/or evidence to show that you are capable of executing it.

I hope this blog post has given you the impetus to start formulating your REAP. Should you have any questions or suggestions, do comment below and I will try my best to reply immediately.

 Good luck and may the Force be with you!