Employability skills: the skills of the future.
What are they and why they are of importance
Employability skills are highly valued by employers and essential for success in the workplace. Did you know that employers prefer candidates with vital employability skills to complement their job-specific skills? Or that you have a better chance of getting hired if you have employability skills that are particularly useful for the role?
This is the why behind Morphoses. We address this phenomenon by cultivating the employability skills of the next generation. Through a series of interactive activities, our learners are invited to think critically and discover new aspects of themselves in a fun, interactive way!
Employability skills; also known as soft skills, refer to transferable skills and key personal attributes. But there is nothing “soft” about them. They are harder to teach than job-specific skills and they are acquired through practice, for example via the activities of the Morphoses platform.
Let’s explore some examples of employability skills and their importance in the workplace.
Communication. The process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a standard system of symbols, signs, or behavior, is an essential part of any job. Strong communication skills allow employees to express their thoughts and work needs effectively.
Teamwork. The skill to work collaboratively with other people in order to achieve a shared goal and serve a common purpose is called teamwork. Some indicative teamwork behaviors are giving and receiving constructive feedback, collaborating and contributing to team results.
Problem-solving. Problem-solving, or, in other words, the process or act of finding a solution to a problem, is a vital part of everyday work life. Being able to define a problem and come up with innovative and practical solutions can make an employee stand out from others and succeedl in their work.
Initiative. Having a new plan or process to achieve something or solve a problem is otherwise referred to as initiative. The skill to identify opportunities that others can’t see, to be creative, and to develop strategic goals offers more opportunities for success in the work field.
Organizational skills. Setting clear and organized project goals is the key to achieving them. Organizational skills, or the ability to use our time, energy, and resources effectively to achieve our goals, allow us to manage tasks and information. Also, it is much easier to report progress and outcomes when one is organized.
Self-management skills. Managing oneself can be challenging. But good self-management skills open the door to having a personal vision and being able to evaluate our own progress. Some behaviors linked to self-management include working ethically and under pressure, demonstrating resilience and taking responsibility for our actions.
Media and information literacy skills. These skills allow employees to access, critically evaluate and create or use media and information. When employees possess basic IT knowledge, they can browse the internet safely and retrieve any information they seek.
Mastering all the above skills at once is not easy. However, willpower, determination and daily practice can allow anyone to acquire them. Giving the next generation access to Morphoses, offers them the opportunity to enhance these soft skills, thus a chance to excel.