The impact of COVID-related measures has accelerated de-globalization trends, taking a tool on international mobility and urbanization. Health fears over close human contact and global travel, combined with concerns about the secure supply of essential goods and services, are likely to change the way people, businesses and economies behave. As a consequence, this domino effect complicated the situation in SMEs and enterprises all over the world.
In fact, according to the CEDEFOP’s article named COVID-19 impact on skills in enterprises: global survey findings, “78% of enterprises had completely or partially suspended operations in June 2020 and nearly half had stopped paying stipends or wages to apprentices. Training was interrupted for 90% of employees, 86% of apprentices and 83% of interns/trainees”. This concerning finding made us wonder how the partnership response and the soft skill development could help youngsters (especially students) in enhancing their employability when the external conditions and the labor market won’t give any guarantees.
With this pandemic going on, we are losing the human touch, and it has become extremely difficult to develop soft skills. Although now, more than ever, the need and importance of soft skills are at their peak. Due to the pandemic, work from home has become a trend as a result of which, team building and communication have become all the more challenging. To connect to people through their devices, being on the same page, keeping them motivated, problem-solving, conflict resolution has become a huge task. Now is the time when the importance and need for soft skills are really under the spotlight. Some of the soft skills that students should develop to thrive in a post-pandemic world are:
-Learning to adapt
-developing problem-solving skills
-effective communication
Why Soft Skills Are Important For Students?
Soft skills help you adapt and communicate effectively in every situation.
Student life is the time of your life where you develop most of your personality. Soft skills can be an integral part of it and you have ample opportunities to develop them when you are a student. Due to the ongoing pandemic, it has become all the more challenging for students to have a chance to interact with people. But you must grab every opportunity you get because soft skills are developed through continuous practice. In fact, if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is the importance of knowing what matters most in our lives, personally and professionally. Soft skills make you stand out. It develops and enhances your personality in a way that it’s appealing. Also, in today’s world, there is so much stress in students' lives, soft skills will help you deal with it as well.
In order to master your soft skills in the fields of mental health, career management, self-reflection and empathy, check out the E-STEPS online courses which will be soon available here.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
1. CEDEFOP, news section, COVID-19 impact on skills in enterprises: global survey findings, https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/it/news-and-press/news/covid-19-impact-skills-enterprises-global-survey-findings
2. Forbes, The Importance Of Soft Skills In A Post-Pandemic World, https://www.forbes.com/sites/ulrikjuulchristensen/2020/11/09/the-importance-of-soft-skills-in-a-post-pandemic-world/?sh=55c410905c26
3. BARCLAYS, news section, https://bit.ly/3i7lMBf
Photo: Janeb 13 (Pixabay).