SOFT SKILLS TRAINING: COLLEGE TEACHING THAT MATTERS AND LEARNING THAT LASTS FOR EMERGING PROFESSIONALS

Abstract

Today, Higher educational institutions are challenged more than ever. Employers demand skilled graduates who impact workplaces. They need critical and creative thinkers, problem-solvers, decision-makers, personalities with people management, and so on. Shortly, they need soft skills trained people. Today, learners are smarter. They tend to understand market expectations and increases the demand for high-quality education. Soft skills training programs have been becoming a major trend in higher education. Nowadays, universities must work carefully with students. They should encourage and develop various skills in the areas of their expertise. They must understand that soft skills make the difference between adequate and ideal candidates. Universities must incorporate applied sciences into the learning and curriculum. It enables institutions to nurture future career skills. It is an opportunity to build three-way collaborations between universities, employers, and students. Higher educational institutions need to recognize that college education is a facilitation. Today, students need mentors and coaches, people who can put them on the right path. Students can do self-learning with enormous data available, however, instructors must expedite the learning. New graduates are emerging future professionals. Institutions must arm them will the essential skills to survive in competitive job markets. The employers have no limits on recruitment criteria or the knowledge they look for. Perhaps, successful college graduates impact the marketing visibility, image, and brand of the institutions. Hence, to differentiate from competitors, universities must produce valuable job candidates. Graduates are potential workplace leaders. In college, they have four years to develop skills and shape their abilities. Communication skills, leadership skills, adaptability, workplace ethic, teamwork, EI (Emotional Intelligence), and so on are the primary armory of the students. To a certain extent, soft skills training programs within the educational curriculum enhance those skills. Soft skills training programs within the graduates build a sense of confidence, accountability, and responsibility. Every job requires some type of interaction, consequently, soft skills are important for many employers. Though, how colleges can deal with online or distance learning? The distance learning trend takes away valuable interaction time. The study believes that it is vital for universities to create collaborations with moving variables. Competitive institutions will find the happy learning medium. The goal of the study is to analyze the relevance of college teaching that matters and learning that lasts. The study elaborates on the importance of soft skills training trend withing college education, and how it impacts learners. The study selects and analysis the top seven soft skills that are believed are critical for the student career path. Nevertheless, the study discusses the challenges of soft skills training in college education. The objective of the study is to see if soft skills training programs create a competitive advantage for universities. Also, for learners at their potential workplaces. The study intends to conduct and prepare an applicable analysis. The study seeks to present valuable suggestions for educational institutions, as well as for students. The study aspires to remind how important it is to have highly educated and skilled graduates. The study uses a mixed research methodology. At first, the Study will interview several educational specialists, as well as graduates. The interview asks four main questions about the relevance of soft skills training and reason for trending. Second, to support interview analyses, and theoretical data, study employees an online survey. The study asks comparative research questions to find thought differences. The online survey asks scale, drop down, and multiple-choice type questions to obtain data about soft skills training. The Likert scale will be utilized to obtain a holistic view of respondents on selected top seven soft skills. The outcome of the study either will accept or reject the relevance of Soft Skills Training: College teaching that matters and learning that lasts for the future of student careers. Analyzed data will assist to draw recommendations for higher educational institutions. Additionally, it will add suggestions for college students on their roles in facilitated education. Finally, the study believes that besides recommendations the research will raise the applicability of soft-skills training into college education.