Fostering Critical Soft Skills of Graduates for Employability and Professional Growth

Abstract

In the 21st century's evolving professional landscape, graduate employability and growth rely on critical soft skills. This chapter explores these essential soft skills for success in dynamic workplaces, emphasizing their growing importance. Employers now value soft skills for navigating complex environments and collaborating effectively. Reviewing existing literature, the chapter identifies key soft skills that enhance employability, career advancement, and job performance. It highlights the insufficiency of technical skills alone for organizational success, underscoring soft skills' pivotal role. Examining studies on work patterns and soft skills, the chapter proposes a framework to identify and prioritize essential soft skills, guiding educators, employers, and policymakers. It discusses challenges in developing these skills and suggests strategies for embedding them in education. By addressing these complexities, the chapter provides actionable insights to overcome challenges, enhancing graduates' readiness and adaptability in today's professional landscape.