Soft skills can be defined as non-technical skills, such as personal effectiveness, communication, creativity and emotional intelligence and teamwork. Our vast experience with job seekers and employers in the past decade has shown that soft skills are a big differentiating factor, especially during such a time where there’s a lot of competition amongst candidates. Soft skills are traditionally overlooked with academic qualifications perceived to be much more important, however, the real truth is that for a lot of employers they are equally as important.
In May 2020, as part of our mandate to train 5 million job seekers and place 3 million in dignified employment over the next five years in Nigeria, we launched the Jobberman soft skills training program. In November of the same year, we introduced the course on Coursera to provide candidates with a more globally recognised certificate to secure global opportunities.
The free online soft skills training program focuses on equipping young people between the ages of 18-30 with the right skills to compete in the Nigerian job market. So far Jobberman has trained over 60,000 and placed over 50,000 in dignified jobs, 31 of whom are now facilitators on the soft skills training program.
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What will you learn on the course?
In case you are still having second thoughts about taking the course, we would like to share more details on what the course entails, to help you make up your mind.
The course is very interactive and is taught via a series of videos and fun quizzes, just like it is in a classroom. There will be an introductory assessment when you begin the course, as well as a final round-up assessment to gauge your overall participation throughout the course. After which you will receive a co-branded certificate from Coursera and Jobberman.
The course on Coursera takes approximately 2 weeks [13 hours] to complete. Let’s dive in!
What will you learn in week 1?
Week 1 begins with an introduction to the soft skills course. The facilitator, Precious Ajoonu will take you through all that will be learnt throughout the course, and how this will be of benefit to you in your career.
You will cover three major topics in week 1:
Personal Effectiveness and Time Management
Personal Effectiveness is the measure of what effect you have on others as a person. Good time management lies at the heart not only of personal effectiveness but also of organizational success. Everybody needs to make the best of their own time and talent and those of the people around them if they, the team and organization are to achieve their objectives and business goals.
Effective Communication, Presentation and Storytelling
Effective Communication is communication between two or more people wherein the intended message is successfully delivered, received and understood.
Being an effective communicator requires real skill. To be effective in business, you have to communicate effectively.
Business Etiquette and Workplace Ethics
Etiquette refers to behaving in a socially responsible way. Workplace Ethics is a balance of employer and employee rights. You should know your right as an employee of any organization.
What will you learn in week 2?
In week 2, you will take a deep dive into further soft skills that will enable you to become more employable.
You will cover another three major topics in week 2:
Employability and Negotiation Skills
In this workshop, you will gain insight on how to write a good CV and Cover Letter, as well as Interview preparation tips,·Job search strategies, and salary negotiation tips.
Emotional Intelligence & Teamwork
Emotional Intelligence is essential when it comes to building a well-balanced life. According to the World Economic Forum, emotional intelligence was ranked as one of the top 10 most important workplace skills, when it comes to what workers will need in order to be successful in 2020 and beyond. Emotional Intelligence is vital for professional success. Teamwork is important in an organization because it provides employees with an opportunity to bond with one another, which improves relations among them. Teamwork increases the accountability of every member of the team, especially when working under people who command a lot of respect within the business.
Creativity & Idea Generation
The quality of thinking up new ideas and putting them into reality is creativity. The act of executing creative ideas into practice is innovation. Critical thinking leads to Innovation. Here, you will learn how to put critical thinking into practice, amongst other key skills that can spark creativity.
At Jobberman, we know the power of soft skills and we are committed to empowering individuals with the training and soft skills they need to succeed in the workplace.
Here is what a Chemical Engineering graduate, an Accountant, and an undergraduate Medical student have to say about the undeniable impact Jobberman Soft Skills training has had on their lives
Have we convinced you yet? You can take the course at your own pace here: https://www.jobberman.com/softskills
For any more questions on the course, feel free to reach out to the team at youthengagement@jobberman.com and we will be happy to help.
