As students transition from high school to the workforce, the importance of soft skills is becoming increasingly evident.
Once known as core skills, common skills, power skills or essential skills, these abilities are now recognised as crucial for success across all industries.
A major study by leading education company Pearson found the top five most in demand skills in Australia today human skills, with the trend set to continue until at least 2026. The organisation’s Skills Outlook report found that job ads are dominated by five human skills: communication; attention to detail; customer service; leadership; and teamwork.
Moreover, a Deloitte report titled ‘The path to prosperity: Why the future of work is human’ found that despite the threat that technology poses to some sections of the workforce, particularly those involving routine and repetitive tasks, the future of work will be human.
The report found that by far, the most in-demand skills relate to core functions within the workplace – critical skills which feature in all types of work. According to the study, 96% of Australian jobs require time management and organisational skills; 97% of Australian jobs require customer service skills; and 70% require verbal communication skills.
“Compare that to pure technical skills—the most in-demand ‘work of the head’ skill is digital literacy, required by 87% of jobs. Manual labour skills, or "work of the hands," are required in 43% of jobs,” the report’s authors stated.
“The greater focus on "work of the heart" in the labour market highlights inherently human skills. This is where humans excel and where digital technology has been less successful in automating or augmenting human effort.”
Maria Sarina, Coordinator of Counselling at Australian Christian College Marsden Park, says soft skills, such as problem solving, communication and critical thinking are crucial for achieving success in the professional realm.
“Unlike hard skills, which are specific to their jobs or industries, soft skills are universally relevant across all fields, which makes them vital in this rapidly changing job market,” Sarina told The Educator.
“Learning these skills early on will allow young people to better transition into the workforce and focus on gaining the hard skills they need to excel in their chosen careers and personal lives.”
Sarina said that when educators recognise the importance of soft skills in shaping effective and successful professionals, they adjust their teaching methods to develop these essential abilities.
“A way that we’ve been able to do this at ACC Marsden Park has been to run Personality Tests that will highlight the social and emotional core of each student to gain a better understanding of where they would fit in the world,” Sarina said.
“We can start to prepare the student to follow in what has been highlighted as their strengths rather than focusing on their ‘stretches.’ By aligning students with the soft skills needed for their target career paths, and ensuring these skills match their inherent abilities – we increase their likelihood of success.”
Sarina said a sad reality is that the struggle with depression that many adults in the workplace experience stems from the fact that their career path was either chosen by someone else or without considering their natural inclinations.
“Having empirical soft skills which are fostered from kindergarten like speaking in front of the class, being assertive, being curious and asking as many healthy ‘why’s’ always builds soft skill character,” she said.
“Empirical skills in particular foster critical thinking, better problem-solving skills and even contribute to self-regulated learning – all key factors that significantly improve student outcomes.”
Sarine said that as young people transition from school to the professional world, soft skills will be essential in driving their adaptability to varied and ever-changing work settings.
“While there is no one singular skill that overrides the others in this context, strong communication skills, problem-solving and teamwork are essential for collaborative work environments, and flexibility and perseverance enable one to handle certain obstacles and transitions,” she said.
“On the other hand, compassion and leadership are crucial in fostering strong relationships and leading teams effectively. Overall, these skills enhance technical expertise, making young professionals more adaptable, proficient, and successful in their careers.”