The Importance of Soft Skills

Before dinner, on June 12th, campers were given the opportunity to hear a discussion on the importance of soft skills in its relation to personal and professional development. Narek Tutkhalyan spoke on a number of papers by scholars from universities including Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan.

Soft skills are attributes that assist in interpersonal relationships which are essential in the workplace. These skills include problem solving, negotiating, emotional awareness and regulation, and time management. This list is by no means exhaustive, but rather it goes to show how interpersonal communication and self-awareness is vital when considering the employability of individuals.

In one paper written by Achyuta Adhvaryu of the University of Michigan, Namrata Kala of Harvard University, and Anant Nyshadham of Boston University, discuss the significant findings when female garment workers were given soft skill training. In productivity, workers who were given training increased 12 percent. In a related nine month program, one company saw a 256 percent return on investments.

These sorts of studies, and talks from our local leaders who have spent years developing their own soft skills, help demonstrate to our campers how important it is to begin developing soft skills at their age. As these youth go into university and develop their different areas of expertise, the ability to communicate effectively with people from different backgrounds, adapt to new environments quickly, and other sorts of soft skills will help carry them above competition in the workplace.