Striking balance between skill training & student competencies
Dr Manisha Behal, assistant professor, is an educator and expert on business management strategies and operations. Here, she shares the future roadmap for students aspiring to join the corporate workforce with global outreach.
The advancement of education systems in relation to the requirements of the AI-enabled and technology-centric job market has intensified the discussion on prioritising soft skills or technical skills.
In classroom settings, soft skills such as communicating, collaborating or leading are taught alongside other specialised technical skills relevant to particular careers.
Combining both skillsets is necessary for education systems to prepare students to navigate the multifaceted challenges posed by the contemporary workforce. It is quite clear by now that the modern job market globally does not only require a set of technical skills but also soft skills such as collaboration, adaptability, leadership and effective communication. With contemporary advancements in automation and AI, technical skills have become the game changer, as hands-on experience with tools and technology is critical for securing and excelling in a position. Employers are looking for candidates, who can assume roles that incorporate innovative, efficient business processes in the ever-changing industry landscapes. In the realm of business and finance, one is expected to master in financial modelling, statistical analysis and economic forecasting. While technology continues to advance, emotional intelligence, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, and teamwork continue to be of utmost importance. These competencies allow professionals to tackle complex problems, work collaboratively and lead in an inter-disciplinary environment.
Additionally, in a world where the AI is increasingly assuming roles that earlier required manual intervention, creativity, empathy, and ethical reasoning are of utmost importance. People-driven skills become invaluable in a world dominated by machines.
The education system must incorporate both technical and soft skills to prepare students for the future workforce. Combining only hard skills with solely soft skills will create professionals lacking in collaboration, leadership and assistance. While too much soft skills training without hard skills risks leaving students unprepared for specialised employment. Therefore, the ideal solutions of such an issue is in the application of inte-disciplinary learning and project-based pedagogical models that develop hard and soft skills. Educational institutions can establish collaborative projects, which allow students to use technical skills in real life while also enhancing their communication, conflict resolution and team leadership abilities.
