Graduates’ skills for 4th Industrial Revolution in Bangladesh

Students learn more deeply through group or project-based activities that allow them to experience real-world duties and problems. Student leadership, innovation, creativity, and teamwork abilities are all developed through active participation in real-world projects, writes Tasnimul Islam

Universities are under intense pressure to create graduates who will integrate naturally into the workforce after graduation because of the dynamism and unpredictability of today's industries. Universities are now at the forefront of the employability conversation as the race to create qualified graduates who are prepared for the workforce picks up speed. Several employability studies have been carried out throughout the years to address a variety of themes, including employability skills, pedagogical techniques, and learning, among many other vital topics. There is little doubt in the research that companies in the modern business world are looking for graduates with a variety of talents relevant to their own disciplines in addition to high academic credentials.

They comprise non-academic competencies including critical thinking, creativity, teamwork, leadership, organisational skills, and a number of other employable competencies. However, various academics have emphasised a wide range of skill categories that are essential for success in the workplace, including hard and soft skills, cross-curricular skills, person-oriented skills, conventional intellectual abilities, and generic skills. Problem-solving skills, multitasking prowess, collaborative prowess, time management prowess, and a positive outlook on work were some of the top skills. According to the report, graduate success depends on having strong communication, analytical, leadership, problem-solving, critical thinking, planning, knowledge about ICT, and adaptability abilities. Several kinds of research across the world in both developed and developing countries have weighed in on which genetic skills are significant for graduate success.

Five skill clusters were identified by Australian research as being essential for all employers. The foundational skills - written and oral communication, adaptive capacity- the ability to work independently and collaboratively, teamwork and interpersonal skills- the ability to work in a team, technical skills- information and communication technology and problem-solving - critical and analytical skills are some of the clusters that make up this group. The European investigations also identified an additional six skill areas. These include generic such as the ability to communicate and think critically, methodological such as the ability to solve problems, organisational such as the ability to pay attention to details and work effectively under pressure, participative such as the ability to make decisions and plan ahead, socio-emotional such as the ability to work in a team and develop interpersonal relationships, and specialised skills such as possessing domain knowledge.

Moreover, it is the combination of several skills that makes a graduate employable. Therefore, developing these skills is not an automatic venture that can be obtained from a rulebook; but a gradual process that requires the efforts of universities, employers and most importantly the students themselves. Traditionally, learning on the job remains the best approach, but employers of today would rather have graduates with adequate knowledge and work experience to avoid retraining costs and hassles. Thus, it is advised that institutions continually utilise a variety of instructional methodologies to make sure that graduates are prepared for the workforce after they graduate. Students learn more deeply through group or project-based activities that allow them to experience real-world duties and problems. Student leadership, innovation, creativity, and teamwork abilities are all developed through active participation in real-world projects.

Students participating in student programmes will assist to acquire skills like leadership on campus. Students can further strengthen their managerial, interpersonal, and organisational abilities, which improve their employability overall, by taking on important student positions. Also, encouraging students the freedom to query current data and facts can help them strengthen their critical thinking abilities. Students learn more about themselves and their own thought and cognitive processes by asking questions. Since they are continuously looking for answers to issues, people who think critically also tend to have stronger comprehension abilities and are frequently outstanding decision-makers. Employers in the modern economy are constantly looking for better, more knowledgeable solutions, thus graduates with relevant skills are in high demand. More specifically, when institutions create productive partnerships with businesses, students' talents are enhanced when they have business mentors. Students may access the amount of knowledge held by professionals in the sector through mentorship programmes, which helps them think more broadly when they have questions.

Furthermore, graduates who received training in critical thinking are more likely to develop problem-solving skills. As one of the most crucial qualities hiring managers always looks for is problem-solving ability. Employers place a high priority on graduates who can identify the core causes of issues and put forth workable solutions to those issues, regardless of the job title or job description. Future graduates should be equipped to meet new difficulties with their gained competencies, which might be included in their curriculum, as the globe embraces the fourth industrial revolution.

Dr Tasnimul Islam, PhD studied Business Management at University Technology Mara (Malaysia). He can be reached at [email protected].