EDUCATION:
Getting a job is on every student’s mind as they enter higher education. They focus on completing the requirements of their degree and learn new things that either interest them, or those that seem useful for employment. Many times, the two areas; that of interest and that of relevance do not coincide.
Skills can be acquired within educational settings, as well as through working on projects by self-study. Several online educational programs are available to learn different skills. However, only higher education institutions can offer the credentials that many employers seek for recruitment.
Skills like coding, marketing, sales, finance, projects, research that demonstrate applied knowledge rather than merely theoretical knowledge make a student desirable to employers.
Value for work experience:
Working on a range of skills and building depth by seeking practical work experience, is much more valuable than mere certificates in a mutable job market. There is an added advantage of being able to do things also creates confidence, and helps with mental health, and self-esteem. The importance of wellness and confidence cannot be stated enough.
Prepare for digital world:
It is not just exams, grades, certificates or degrees that will create skills for future job candidates. However, implementing it is a challenge for educators in a technological age. Just like the industrial revolution impacted life the world over, the technological age is fully upon us today. Even for students who may not be interested in technology, the digital world will impact everything they do. Social media, mobile technology, coding and online media impact culture, politics, industry in ways we cannot always predict and understand.
Young people are bombarded with stimuli from many sources, and they need to learn how to filter what is true and what is simply fantasy or irrelevant. This can be frightening. Education institutions will need to stimulate small digital communities where proto-types can be built and tested in a safe way.
