Their parents, teachers and employers should help them in this regard....
COVER STORY
Every year on July 15, the world celebrates World Youth Skills Day to highlight the significance of encouraging the youth to learn skills for career and personal development. Skills remain essential for the progress and development of any country. In Pakistan, 60 percent of the population is made up of the youth, and the percentage is increasing every year. The job market is not good, as there are not enough jobs available in both public and private sectors according to the academic qualifications of the young people. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the young people to learn skills in order to earn well. Their parents, teachers and employers should help them in this regard.
Textbook learning and classroom lectures are important for academic success. However, one must develop skills to acquire a competitive advantage when searching for a job after graduation, or when establishing a business. The youth should know how to work in the fields of communication, time management, stress management, crisis management, financial management, relationship building, etc.
At the 2022 World Youth Skills Day, the youth of Pakistan should pledge to develop their skills. If you are a youth, you should cultivate a learning mindset. This article looks at how the youth can pursue skills development.
Know your strengths
You need to realize your strengths. These could be inborn or the ones that you may have developed over time. You should capitalize on your strengths and add value to them by continuously pursuing actions that augment your strengths. For instance, if your writing skills are your strength, you should write articles for print and digital publications. If your strength is in verbal commination, you should take part in declamation contests. You can also run your YouTube channel. Your strengths will be fortified if you remain practical and keep doing things that can help you build your skillset.
Focus on self-improvement
The youth often ignore their shortcomings. This makes them lose a major competitive advantage; for instance, if you have good presentation skills but do not know how to effectively use a spreadsheet, then your ignorance will keep you behind those who have learned this skill.
Continuous learning
You must continue to learn to turn your shortcomings into strengths. This will require you to question what you know and what you do not. Reading is an effective way to learn. Furthermore, watch documentaries related to the topics of your interest.
Observe, ask, do
Children have the acumen to observe and follow what their elders do. The youth may also acquire information through observation. For instance, the youth should observe how various professionals conduct their activities including gardeners, carpenters, masons, teachers, etc. One may not pursue these professions but knowing how these professionals conduct their tasks will help at some point in life. Suppose your reading table’s leg is loose and wobbles, making it difficult for you to read or write. Instead of calling a carpenter for a small task, you can fix the table if you know the basics of carpentry. There is no harm in knowing how to work with wood, cement, electrical equipment, etc. If observation is important, then asking questions is of paramount significance. You will broaden your mental caliber by asking questions because you are thinking about something that you do not know about. Similarly, doing or pursuing the act will reinforce your learning by providing you with practical exposure and experience.
Practical learning
Textbook learning, as mentioned earlier, will provide you with academic growth. You should focus on developing your skills including communications, finance, time management, etc. Children and the youth who receive pocket money from their parents or grandparents should save it to channel and manage their finances.
Cognitive analysis of big data
The youth should learn how to read data and its accompanying information to extract meaning from it. Big data is an asset for individuals and companies. It allows companies to make decisions related to marketing and finances while keeping a track of their performance and their competitors.
Emotional intelligence
The youth and the adults alike are under a lot of stress because of their studies or work. The youth should be taught how to control their emotions and to learn what others’ emotions mean in various situations. Emotional intelligence includes self-awareness, social awareness, self-management, and relationship management.
Critical thinking
Critical thinking is the study of facts and observations to come up with a conclusion. The five critical thinking skills are observation, analysis (gathering and understanding data), inference (concluding), communication, and problem-solving. The youth should know how to resolve personal and professional problems. This requires one to think beyond the tried and tested ways to come up with solutions. Problem-solving and critical thinking skills are developed when you go through an experience and learn from it.
Digital literacy
Digital media has become a world of its own. Businesses are using it to connect with customers. Individuals are using it to conduct meetings, buy products and services, take online classes, etc. The youth must learn the skills to manage digital media. It will help them in managing their freelance business or facilitate them when they join a company after graduation as digital media is an integral part of all departments. The skills to learn in this regard include website design and development, social media promotion, content management, videography, and photography, among others. Understanding how social media paid promotion works is also integral. You should know how to run online advertising campaigns and how to calculate Cost Per Thousand (CPM), Cost per Action (CPA), and Cost per Click (CPC), among other parameters.
It is not enough to be well qualified; you need skills to better your lifestyle and help your country prosper.
