For decades employers as well as educators frequently complain about a lack in soft skills among graduates from tertiary education institutions. Predominantly missed are communication skills, but additional knowledge in business or project management is also ranking highly on the list of missing skills desirable for graduates entering the business world. Project management is also ranking highly on the list of missing skills desirable for graduates entering the business world. But additional knowledge in business or project management.
This problem is in no way restricted
To developing nations like Namibia; it is also well known to industrial countries around the world. A recent outcry in this regard came from the British Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR), which recently reported that “Employers say many graduates lack ‘soft skills’, such as team working” and “They go on to explain that candidates are normally academically proficient but lacking in soft skills such as communication as well as verbal and numerical reasoning.” (AGR, 2007).
Alreadymore than 40 years ago the German Engineering Association (VDI) recommendedthat 20% of courses of the engineering curricula should be soft skills. Engineeringgraduates should bring along knowledge of foreign languages, cultural awareness,should be team workers, and should perhaps have attended a Rhetoric course(Ihsen, 2003).
20% of courses of the engineering curricula should be soft skills
What can lecturers do to enhance their students’ soft skills?
A first step in improving soft skills of students is to raise their awareness about the importance of soft skills and the consequences of shortcomings in this regard. Students should be encouraged to enhance their soft skills by applying the methods we mentioned before, e.g. reading dedicated books, attending courses, and joining clubs or societies to broaden their horizon, like debating societies, Toast Masters who are practicing Rhetoric, or scientific societies who offer presentations and discussions.
Clubs or societies to broaden their horizon, like debating societies, Toast Masters who are practicing Rhetoric, or scientific societies who offer presentations and discussions.
