What are schools and universities doing to equip students with much-needed soft skills? For companies looking to recruit fresh graduates into their ranks, technical proficiency is no doubt an essential qualification for landing a job, but certain soft skills like sound communication, critical thinking and teamwork are just as important, our sources have previously told us. However, these skills are often lacking among those entering the workforce here in Egypt — and around the world for that matter. In traditional academic environments, soft skills are often overlooked in favor of more easily measurable metrics like test scores, but the reality is that they are crucial to the sound functioning of many work environments. So what exactly are schools and institutes of higher learning doing to better prepare students for the workforce?

There’s already a widespread consensus that businesses are struggling with their teams: Some 78% of companies with a presence in Egypt polled by Nexford University reported difficulty in hiring qualified white collar workers, according to a 2021 study (pdf) published by the online institution. Some 40% indicated that they’re seeing a shortage in creative thinking, 37% say time management is a major problem and 28% find a lack of problem solving abilities to be holding back their teams. The findings from the report broadly fall in line with what Enterprise readers have cited among the most pressing challenges facing businesses in the 2020 and 2022 Enterprise Reader Surveys: Finding and retaining talent.

Adaptability and creativity are crucial qualities in job candidates: Being able to apply what candidates have learned in academic settings to more complex professional situations are skills that have repeatedly been highlighted as hugely important assets to several local firms who previously spoke with us. Critical thinking, good research, and communication skills also go a long way in most white collar jobs and are usually sound indicators of a good fit for prospective employers, according to many employers we’ve spoken to.

The problem is that many institutions tend to emphasize the technical aspects of their programs while these so-called soft skills fall short. “There’s a gap between the needs of the job market and the sort of education students are being provided at universities,” Heba Medhat, director of Cairo University’s business incubator, told Enterprise. Communication and other soft skills are clearly lacking among fresh grads, which is a problem that should perhaps supersede concerns about startup funding for young entrepreneurs, Medhat explains. Relying purely on memorization for law students, for example, rather than how to apply the laws and concepts in a real-world setting, is a problem Zulficar and Partners Managing Partner Firas El Samad has previously mentioned encountering with fresh graduates.

At the university level, only a handful of institutions are zeroing in on these skills: At the American University in Cairo (AUC) students are being taught some of these essential soft skills as part of their core curriculum. “As a general philosophy, we have institutional learning outcomes–broad guidelines which need to be reflected in every course offering that makes sure candidates are well equipped for life and the professional world,” Director of Employer Relations at AUC’s Career Center Maha El Moslemany told us. What this means is that students are getting the chance to engage in debate, work in groups and practice critical thinking inside the classroom through their regular coursework, El Moslemany explained. At the German University in Cairo (GUC) specific soft skills training courses like Communication & Presentation Skills are on offer.

There are also loads of activities and settings outside of lecture halls where these skills take shape: Co-curricular activities and additional tools like resume writing and interviewing workshops held by industry professionals are places where students can pick up even more experience in leadership, team building and professional development at the university, El Moslemany explained.

Cultivating soft skills can start way earlier: At Regent British School in New Mansoura, which currently runs from KG 1 to Grade 7, students are introduced to independent research and are asked to think critically about their work from a young age. “In math class, rather than just being asked what the answer to the question is, teachers ask how they know? They ask them to justify their answers,” Regional Principal for Regent British Schools Claire Rowland tells us. “It’s not about regurgitating facts, it’s about making lifelong learners that can be part of a well-rounded society,” Rowland said.

It’s a continuous process throughout primary and secondary levels of education: “Soft skills are embedded into our core curriculum,” Karim Rogers, executive director of El Alsson British and American School tells us. “In our English classes for example, students get to learn how to research and write essays, practice public speaking, and compose proper emails,” he says. Getting students ready to handle real life situations is one of the school’s primary objectives, Rogers explained.

But there are still other ways to make it up to speed when it comes to soft skills later on: Workshops, seminars, and courses that focus on developing soft skills are also accessible outside of standard degrees. The British Council and the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt (AmCham) occasionally host workshops for anyone interested in beefing up these crucial professional and interpersonal skills. Even AUC’s School of Continuing Education frequently hosts more accessible workshops and training courses on offer for non-degree students.

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