Proof of Concept for First Game Made

Hello all, I'm currently a student at Southern New Hampshire University taking my Bachelor's in Game Programming and Development. I'll be graduating in the coming months and I'm looking for feedback on this Proof of Concept I'm making for one of my projects.

I'm focusing on the Gameplay Programming side of things and will be acquiring the 3D models and animations from other sources. I wasn't to use Unreal Engine 4 as it is where all of my experience lies so far.

My goal is to create a Third-Person perspective Action RPG combat system in a game made for both PC and Consoles in which the player gains experience in a particular weapon type the more they use it. With certain levels in the weapon skill unlocking new abilities to use and experiment with.

I also want to make switching between weapons easy (such as using the D-Pad on a controller and hotkeys on a keyboard).

I'm open to more than just Melee weapons, but I want to keep time constraints in mind.

This would be the first Proof of Concept I've made in my short career so far, does anyone have any suggestions about how to go about making such a thing? Specifically, where should I start with coding the combat model and how I should tie it into other aspects like hitboxes and experience levels.

Thank you all for your help!