Why do soft skills matter?

Soft skills are vital for succeeding in all careers. The workplace is changing rapidly, and, over the course of our careers, we will all be expected to work in multiple roles. To do this effectively, we need to be prepared to be flexible and adaptable. Soft skills are the skills that help us learn new things well and quickly. They help us develop creative and innovative solutions to the problems that arise.

Employers tell us that the market is filled with graduates who possess the required technical skills.  What differentiates some applicants are their soft skills.

So, how do you develop soft skills?

One way is to purposefully select your complementary studies courses during your B.Eng degree.

• Interested in improving your writing? Pick a course with a significant writing component like English. 
• Want to improve your intercultural competency?  Consider a humanities or social science course with a global outlook, for example something in Sociology, Anthropology, or History. 
• Looking to develop your visual competency?  How about an Art History course?

Think about the soft skills you want to focus on and choose your complementary studies courses wisely.