Skills that University Students Should Develop Now

Skills that University Students Should Develop Now

Kemunto is a journalism major who has spent her last few years in school working on her degree with the goal of eventually securing a job at a news outlet. At the beginning of her degree her sole focus was on doing well in her classes so she could secure a job through this route. She therefore put in the effort and time to learn the intricacies of journalism and to prepare herself for a career in this path. However, as she has been working on her skills, she has noticed many of her classmates move ahead of her without having the same level of competence in classroom skills that she had. Kemunto has realized that she needs to improve her skillset to make it more appropriate for the marketplace otherwise her conventional career path will not pan out.
While the journalism skills are important, Kemunto has realized that she needs to carry out some specialization which will allow her to compete with others in her field. Kemunto has always had an interest in the field of finance. She has realized now that by putting in extra hours in developing a specialized knowledge of the field, she can enhance her profile as a journalist. Instead of having the same general skillset that her whole class has, Kemunto will now be able to differentiate herself with her finance specialization. Moreover, because of this focus Kemunto will now be able to establish herself within the field as a quality journalist because she has taken on this development of the set of skills already at her disposal.

There have been a lot of changes in the last few months and an honest evaluation shows that the new normal is here to stay. What can you, as a university student do to prepare for the ups and downs of a world that has changed? Here are a few attitudes and skills that you can develop in the coming weeks and months.

Embrace Change

Flexibility and an openness to change is your biggest asset during a time of upheaval. There are jobs that will never come back because of COVID-19, while others will appear in the aftermath of the virus that did not exist before. The twentieth century had several jobs that don’t exist today such as lift operators, or switchboard operators. Look at the changing times and advancement in technology as opportunities for you to adapt. Once you accept this challenge, there are many openings even in these turbulent times.

Master E-Learning

One way to accept this challenge is to make use of the wide range of opportunities to develop yourself online. There are courses on any topic in the world available today. There are courses on lighting, shooting family portraits or corporate photography for those inclined in that direction. For those with a technology focus there are courses on coding, website design, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things. All you need to do is search the internet for resources that can help develop you to better execute your business idea or desired employment path.

If you would like to develop a skill and monetize it

Skillshare.com – a community for creatives of all kinds to share their expertise

Udemy.com – a large collection of courses

CNBC Article – 10 free online classes that will help you gain new skills

CIO Article – 12 free sites to help you grow your tech skills

If you are interested in Digital Learning

Facebook Blueprint

Google Digital Academy

If you are interested in coding

12 sites that will teach you coding for free or at a low cost

81 of the best places to learn how to code for free

Keep learning.

Familiarize Yourself with New Technology

While there are numerous opportunities available online today, it is important to become familiar with the new technologies that exist. While you can still make some good cash developing websites today, you would face lots of competition in an already flooded market. Nonetheless, you can pick up a wide range of skills on Social Media Management, Digital Marketing, Coding, the Internet of Things, AI, Cloud Computing, VR, Blockchain Technology, or other tech-related topics.

Businesses are looking for individuals who are multi-skilled, so your new skills would help further differentiate you in the market. Similarly, if you are hoping to start a business your skills would be essential in meeting current needs in the market. It is essential to become familiar with the fast-developing face of the online world today.

Improve your Communication

Being an effective communicator means more than learning how to listen and speak well, you need to be able to effectively pass on your message through a variety of mediums. You probably can write an email or use Microsoft Word. These skills are necessary because whether you will be employed or in business every industry has a specific level of presentation and communication. Carving out your own space is essential as Theresia Kyalo has shown. This is a great time to work on your presentation and PowerPoint skills. Learn how to create beautiful

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