Importance of Soft Skills: Present and Future

Development and learning is an on going process, which influences all spheres of life. This never-ending process commences from the womb and continues till the grave.The scientific research indicates that the initial learning process begins even before we are born. It helps in designing our prenatal preferences, which we carry forward in our subsequent life to follow. As we continue to evolve, the environment around us becomes a decisive factor in designing our choices, personalities, likes – dislikes, etc.  The same was suggested by psychologist Albert Bandura while explaining the 'cognitive process' of learning, which is influenced and designed by our surroundings. The progressive stride from pedagogy to and ragogy, further helps in the advancement in the journey of learning continues.

One of the paramount rational behind learning and development is to improve the quality of lives, so that the coming generations can equip themselves with the ever changing challenges and demands emerging from the dynamic environment. The changing internal as well as external environments are exposed to many triggers which makes the process of developing and learning indispensible, and at times challenging. These triggers can be an endeavor to test existing knowledge, acquire advancement in knowledge, invention of new technology, birth of new concepts, the effect of a political decisions, change in market trends, increasing local or global competitions, individual's as well as organizational development prospects, finding solutions and understandings of human life and connected environments, at microscopic and macroscopic level etc.

There have been continuous efforts done by consecutive governments to provide hard skills or technical skills to the workforce. The importance of the scientific approach to develop the nation was clearly envisioned by our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru when, while underscoring the importance of scientific temperament, said “It is science alone that can solve the problems of hunger and poverty, of insanitation and illiteracy, of superstition and deadening custom and tradition, of vast resources running to waste, or a rich country inhabited by starving people... The future belongs to science and those who make friends with science.”[i]

In the recent time, one of the themes which dominated media narratives and political discourses is the development of skills for the upcoming generations, to make them market as well as future ready.  Last year, the ambitious project titled ‘Skill India Campaign’ was flagged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with the new National Policy for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship was implemented in 2015. Various organizations like the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, National Skill Development Corporation, National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) etc, have been pitched in to bring the desired result. The main objective behind these endeavors is to meet the ambitious skill target set in the 12th Five Year Plan and in the times to come.

Nevertheless, one has to keep in mind, that imparting technical skills without imbibing the soft skills in the upcoming generations will be a task half done. To prepare the present generation for the future endeavor, technical skills/ hard skills along with the soft skills provide them perfect environment to grow, build and enhance their career prospects along with the personality development.Where on one hand, hard skills help the students/learners to acquire a desired job, the soft skills will assist them to enhance or sharpen their personal attributes like, communication (intra-internal-group-intercultural) skills, emotional intelligence quotient, social skills, thus helping them to retain the desired job and grow harmoniously in the given environment. Today, theoretical knowledge is not the final destination, but practical exposure along with the development of soft skills is the need of the hour, so that we can make the upcoming generations more balanced and an all rounded personalities. In order to empower our future generations, the need of the hour is to expose them to more soft skills like; enhancing communication persona, understanding the various dimensions of personalities, equipping students to deliberate and discuss, social etiquettes, public speaking skills, team building, and appreciating emotional intelligence. To conclude, in words of Mahatma Gandhi, "only through imparting education through crafts can India stand before the world."[ii]And in todays' context soft skills are those crafts, which will give strength and stability to every stride taken by the present as well as future generations to come.

Ms. Kriti Singh

Assistant Professor

Dept. of Communication Studies

  

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[i]Jawaharlal Nehru Quotes. (n.d.). Retrieved October 12, 2016, from https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/89095.Jawaharlal_Nehru

[ii]Mahatma Gandhi’s vision about the need for skill training. (2016). Apletters.blogspot.in. Retrieved 12 October 2016, from http://apletters.blogspot.in/2014/05/mahatma-gandhis-vision-about-need-for.html