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1 – 10 of over 18000The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between campus and industry among the management and engineering students to enhance their employability. It equips students and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to bridge the gap between campus and industry among the management and engineering students to enhance their employability. It equips students and faculty with creative tools and techniques to acquire soft skills and provides a new perspective to the discipline of soft skills.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper designs an interview questionnaire containing both open and close-ended questions to elicit responses from faculty, students, recruiters, and directors of educational institutions.
Findings
The study found that there must be effective coordination among faculty, students, industry and directors of educational institutions for enhancing employability skills among students. It places emphasis on the role of Training and Placement Officer (TPO) in the educational institutions for better employability and calls for promotion of finishing schools to enhance employability.
Research limitations/implications
The article relies on limited survey and interview data from one particular district in India and from students of engineering and management education only.
Practical implications
The study can be applied in any part of the world as there is a problem of unemployability everywhere currently.
Originality/value
The paper adds value to the little literature available in the area of soft skills. It sets the agenda for discussion in soft and hard skills and employability, presents problems and prospects and calls for blending both hard and soft skills to enhance employability.
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Keywords
Abdul Saman and Hillman Wirawan
Soft skills are essential not only for students but also for employees in any workplace. Some factors influence the development of soft skills in high schools. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Soft skills are essential not only for students but also for employees in any workplace. Some factors influence the development of soft skills in high schools. This study investigates the effect of psychological capital (PsyCap) on soft skills through the role of psychological well-being at different students’ grade levels.
Design/methodology/approach
Three scales (i.e. the Psychological Capital Questionnaire, the Scale of Psychological Well-being and the soft skills assessment) were used on 707 high school students from seven senior high schools. The data were analysed using a moderated-mediation regression technique to reveal the conditional indirect effect of PsyCap on soft skills.
Findings
The results suggested that students' grade levels moderated the indirect effect of PsyCap on soft skills via psychological well-being. Students in higher grades showed a stronger impact of PsyCap on soft skills via psychological well-being.
Research limitations/implications
The psychological states of students should be regarded as one of the most critical aspects of education and career advancement. Schools should assist students in developing their soft skills. Students, regardless of grade level, would begin to occupy their PsyCap, ensure their psychological well-being and finally, engage in soft skills development activities.
Originality/value
This current study has shifted from simply assessing soft skills to investigating some avenues for developing soft skills in various contexts and areas. If the theoretical model is well established, teachers and educators can effectively improve soft skills intervention by understanding the antecedents of soft skills.
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Sajjad Ahmad, Kanwal Ameen and Midrar Ullah
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the university information professionals (UIPs) preferred modes of soft skills learning and differences in their opinions based on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the university information professionals (UIPs) preferred modes of soft skills learning and differences in their opinions based on gender, designations and experience.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative research design using a questionnaire was used for data collection. Data were analyzed through SPSSS version 20.0, using descriptive and inferential statistics. The population of the study included all the UIPs working in the central libraries of the general public sector 33 universities in Pakistan, with nearly a population of 560.
Findings
The major findings showed that “mentoring sessions by experts” was the most preferred mode of soft skills learning followed by “learning from colleagues”. It showed that UIPs preferred to learn soft skills from experts and colleagues. Independent-samples t-test results found that “mentoring session by experts” was more preferred by females than males. A one-way ANOVA results found significant differences of opinion regarding the “mentoring session by experts” method between librarians and assistant librarians (p = 0.044). Results were statistically significant also between more experienced and less experienced regarding “real project/assignment-based method” and “mentoring session by experts”. In addition, for “formal online courses” and “self-training through reading books”, results were statistically significant between experienced groups of 1-5 years and 11-15 years. Overall results indicated that from UIPs’ perspective, soft skills should be taught to them using face-to-face methods.
Originality/value
This is the first study in Pakistan that dealt with the preferred modes of soft skills learning of UIPs by using a large group (N = 372) of respondents.
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Timothy Oluwafemi Ayodele, Timothy Tunde Oladokun and Kahilu Kajimo-Shakantu
The global shift in the traditional skills required of real estate graduates has led to an increased demand for employees who have the required skills and competencies. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The global shift in the traditional skills required of real estate graduates has led to an increased demand for employees who have the required skills and competencies. The purpose of this study is to evaluate employment considerations of real estate firms and analyse employers’ skill expectations and the observed skills possessed by the graduate employees. This study also analysed the self-assessed soft skill levels of the graduate employees, thereby establishing the skill gap.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were sought from real estate employers in the two dominant real estate markets of Nigeria: Lagos and Abuja, and real estate graduate employees who have had a minimum of six months working experience in real estate firms. Data collected were analysed using statistical techniques such as frequency, percentages, mean, correlation, multivariate analysis of variance, paired-samples t-test and independent samples t-test.
Findings
The findings of this study revealed that employers’ soft skills expectations were high with skills such as responsibility, administrative, listening, communication, business negotiation and work ethics. Based on employers' observed skills, there were significant skill gaps with respect to soft skills such as responsibility, business negotiation, logical thinking, marketing and dispute resolution. An analysis of the core skills reveals employers' preference for technical competencies in valuation, agency, property management, marketing, report writing and landlord and tenant laws. However, graduate employees possessed significant skill gaps with regards to technical skills such as valuation, property investment analysis, feasibility and viability appraisal, market research methods and facility management.
Practical implications
An understanding of the skill gaps will provide useful feedback to professional bodies, regulatory boards, institutions of higher learning, faculty members and other stakeholders regarding deficient skill areas, especially for curriculum review, development and training in the real estate sector.
Originality/value
There is a paucity of information about employers' skill preferences and the skill gaps in the real estate sector.
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Anjana Singh and Prashanti Jaykumar
Tourism and hospitality is one of the fastest growing segments of the services industry in India, and there is tremendous need and opportunity for young, educated and qualified…
Abstract
Purpose
Tourism and hospitality is one of the fastest growing segments of the services industry in India, and there is tremendous need and opportunity for young, educated and qualified professionals. Academics and employers agree that there is an increasing gap between the soft skills that companies expect from their entry-level employees and the skills that these young people possess. To bridge this gap, industry leaders and researchers indicate the need for more soft skills training. The purpose of this paper is to identify soft skills competencies that are required for a diverse group of entry-level employees and then to identify gaps by exploring the hospitality programme and internships.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is analytical in nature and draws on a literature review and a questionnaire as a survey tool for stakeholders. The research had separate questionnaires for employers, students and faculty members of the Vedatya Institute, educator for the service industry. The research is focused on entry-level employees – students who had graduated from Vedatya Institute in the past five years. The employers are primarily general managers and human resource managers of five-star hotels who have recruited and been part of campus interviews.
Findings
The research analysed soft or employability skills for the hospitality industry, and it provided valuable insights from employers and perceptions of graduates in attainment of those skills during their degree programme. The study highlighted the significant role of internship in developing soft skills.
Practical implications
The paper recommends practical solutions for educators and organizations that can be applied. The research synthesized current thinking on required soft skills for young entry-level employees and explores the soft skills gap in the context of a growing soft skills training market with recommendation for stakeholders.
Originality/value
The research sought to address the real life problem impacting the hospitality industry in India using inputs from the literature, graduates and employers.
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This paper explores the changing needs of employers and the business community in relation to the balance between technical and soft skills, such as communication skills, business…
Abstract
This paper explores the changing needs of employers and the business community in relation to the balance between technical and soft skills, such as communication skills, business presentation skills and other interpersonal skills. The researcher discusses the importance of soft relational skills for all business graduates, including accountants. The study further explains how soft skills can complement the technical skills taught to ensure that graduates are equipped to deal with the demands of a complex global business environment. The needs of different stakeholders, possible barriers to change and the way in which academic faculty can contribute are reviewed.
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Chiara Succi and Michaela Wieandt
A fast-changing environment entails several reflections about skills and attitudes required to face the increasing complexity brought by the “glocal, liquid and networked” world…
Abstract
Purpose
A fast-changing environment entails several reflections about skills and attitudes required to face the increasing complexity brought by the “glocal, liquid and networked” world in which workers operate (Bauman, 2003; Clarke, 2017). In the literature, an increased attention has been devoted to the impact of interpersonal skills and personal characteristics on employability (Heckman and Kautz, 2012; Succi, 2019; Wheeler, 2016). In this context, the so-called soft skills become of crucial importance, but a lack of academic attention devoted to their development, and a deficit of companies in integrating soft skills in their selection, induction and training processes have been identified (Hurrell, 2016). The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
An exploratory study has been designed to describe the tools in use to assess soft skills, during the recruitment process and those to develop soft skills of graduates, during their first years on the job. In January 2017, two symmetrical online questionnaires have been sent to 500 HR managers and 240 graduates of a European business school, in Italy and Germany.
Findings
Results show that graduates and managers describe differently the use of tools to develop graduates’ soft skills. The large majority of HR managers indicate they offer formal training to young graduates and that they are involved in the performance appraisal sessions, while only 22 percent of students confirm they receive formal training and only 26 percent declare to be inserted in a performance appraisal process. Moreover, concerning the assessment of soft skills during the selection process, significant differences between Italian and German companies emerged.
Research limitations/implications
This research constitutes the first step to acknowledge the lack of initiatives devoted to soft skills development, despite their rising importance for the job market.
Practical implications
Findings allow initiating a discussion about a strategic topic in human resources management: whose responsibility is it to develop soft skills? Should graduates, higher education or companies fill the gap? The study can be extended to other types of higher education institutions, and a qualitative research could deepen the understanding of root causes of the differences identified.
Social implications
The impact on youth employment, reduction of labor skills mismatch and improvement of managerial practices could be interesting social implications of the study.
Originality/value
While previous research has predominantly focused on higher education executives and HR managers, this paper’s contribution consists in involving young graduates in the reflection on employability.
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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate various ways in which soft skills can be developed. It proposes a self-facilitation framework to develop and enhance soft skills.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate various ways in which soft skills can be developed. It proposes a self-facilitation framework to develop and enhance soft skills.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey questionnaire was developed based on a pilot study with reference to key components of an individual’s life which can be instrumental in developing soft skills. Study was conducted on participants of Management Development Program (MDP) in a business school in India between June 2017 and March 2018. Participants who had attended a session on soft skills were selected for the study. In all, 180 participants from 12 programs filled the responses based on a five-point Likert scale. Of all, 167 responses were complete and deemed fit for analysis. Factor analysis using SPSS 22 resulted in five factors, namely, family, self, industry, academia, and resources.
Findings
Findings indicated that irrespective of gender, age categories, type of organizations working in, and the years of work experience, majority respondents accepted that soft skills could be developed through a holistic approach with the help of a self-facilitation framework (FSIAR) comprising family, self, industry, academia, and resources.
Research limitations/implications
The framework can be generalized by testing the questions with a larger number of respondents. A further research could be to delve into the cultural factors while using this framework in various countries.
Practical implications
The study is extremely beneficial for heads of organizations, working executives, educational institutions, scholars, faculty, and trainers.
Originality/value
This study for the first time has proposed a self-facilitation framework – FSIAR for developing and enhancing soft skills of an individual.
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Thomas Bolli and Ursula Renold
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the questions as to how important skills are; which skills can best be learned at school, and which skills can be acquired better in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the questions as to how important skills are; which skills can best be learned at school, and which skills can be acquired better in the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors exploit data from a survey among professional tertiary education and training business administration students and their employers in Switzerland.
Findings
The authors find that skills used in the business processes strategic management, human resource management, organizational design, and project management are most suitable to be taught in school. However, the results further suggest that soft skills can be acquired more effectively in the workplace than at school. The only exceptions are analytical thinking, joy of learning and organizational soft skills, for which school and workplace are similarly suitable.
Practical implications
The paper provides empirical evidence regarding the optimal choice of the learning place for both human resource managers as well as educational decision makers who aim to combine education and training, e.g. in an apprenticeship.
Originality/value
Little evidence regarding the optimal learning place exists.
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Sui Pheng Low, Shang Gao and Eileen Wan Leng Ng
The disparity between employers’ expectations and the ability of graduates to meet them is an issue for employment. Industry 4.0, represented by technologies like big data and…
Abstract
Purpose
The disparity between employers’ expectations and the ability of graduates to meet them is an issue for employment. Industry 4.0, represented by technologies like big data and automation, permeate the construction industry, exacerbating the rift of changing expectations that future graduates must bridge. As sophisticated forms of technology emerge, the ways individuals work are also expected to change. Soft skills are needed to support, materialise, and enhance the workforce’s existing technical skills. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of Industry 4.0 on employability in the local construction industry from the viewpoint of employers and future graduates.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, quantitative followed by qualitative. The questionnaire survey crosschecked the needs and expectations of employers in the local construction industry, regarding these nine soft skills and the extent to which students currently possess them, to determine whether students from the construction industry are Industry 4.0-ready. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with employers in the construction industry and PFM students to further understand the disparity between the survey results of the two parties.
Findings
Gap analyses and t-test results found six significant divides in nine soft skills – resilience, curiosity, adaptability, entrepreneurial thinking, pursuing convictions and vision – showing a significant difference between the mean expectations of employers and the soft skills capabilities of graduate students. Future graduate students thus lack the soft skills needed by Industry 4.0. The reasons for this significant difference and the barriers to improving soft skills are explored through interviews with employers and future graduates. Three parties – government, educational institutions and industry – were identified as crucial partners in change.
Originality/value
Little has been researched about the future strategies and mindsets required by the workforce to prepare for the changes brought by Industry 4.0. Likewise, the government’s and companies’ one-sided focus on promoting skill-upgrading leaves many to wonder about the soft skills needed to stay competitive. Hence, it is timely to examine the readiness of Singapore’s future graduates in the construction industry in adapting to Industry 4.0’s requirements in terms of soft skills.
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