How Graduates Can Develop Transferable Skills
Transferable skills are essential for graduates who want to succeed in the job market. They are the skills that can be applied to a variety of jobs and industries, regardless of your specific degree.
Here are some actions that universities can take to encourage students and graduates to take to help them to develop transferable skills:
Identify their strengths and weaknesses. The first step to developing transferable skills is to be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses. What are they good at? What do they enjoy doing? What are they still learning? Once a graduate has a good understanding of your own skills, you can start to focus on developing the ones that will be most beneficial to your career.
Encourage them to take on challenges. One of the best ways to develop transferable skills is to take on challenges. This could mean volunteering for a leadership position, taking on a new personal project, or even just learning a new skill. When students step outside of their comfort zone, they can learn and grow.
Show them how they can get involved in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities are a great way to develop transferable skills and network with peers. Encourage students to get involved in clubs and organisations, or volunteer time to a cause they care about. These experiences will help you develop your communication, teamwork, and leadership skills.
Help them gain work experience. Work experience is essential for developing transferable skills. Internships, part-time jobs, and summer placements are all great ways students can gain real-world experience. When students work, you get to apply the theoretical knowledge they have developed to real-world problems. They can also learn from experienced professionals and build their networks.
Support them to reflect on their experiences. As students go through your journey of developing transferable skills, it's important that they reflect on their experiences. What did they learn? What challenges did they face? How did they overcome them? Taking the time to reflect will help them to identify strengths and weaknesses, and it will also help them learn from your mistakes.
Developing transferable skills is an ongoing process. It takes time, effort, and commitment. But it's worth it in the end. Transferable skills will give graduates a competitive edge in the job market and help them achieve their career goals.
Here are some additional tips for careers professionals looking to support students to develop transferable skills:
Incorporate transferable skills development into your curriculum. Make sure that students are aware of the importance of transferable skills and that they have opportunities to develop them throughout their studies. This could be done through coursework, extracurricular activities, or internships.
Provide resources and support for students. Help students identify their transferable skills and develop a plan for further development. This could include providing workshops, mentoring, or access to online resources.
Partner with employers. Connect students with employers who are looking for graduates with transferable skills. This could be done through job fairs, networking events, or internships.
By following these tips, you can help graduates develop the transferable skills they need to succeed in the job market.
To find out more about how you can enhance student employability and outcomes, browse HE Professional’s Graduate Employability content series and get ready for our annual Graduate Employability Conference in October.
