Lack of Soft Skills Training in the Chinese Education System
Education has been widely acclaimed to be the key to a bright future. This notion has motivated the Chinese government to put more emphasis on education, especially in higher learning institutions. The Chinese education system has widely been credited with producing top quality graduates with exceptional technical skills. However, recent research has found that Chinese graduates lack the soft skills required to succeed in the local and international job market (Yan et al.). The lack of adequate soft skills in these graduates is primarily attributed to the Chinese system of education that places a greater emphasis on technical and other hard skills. This creates a disconnect between the higher education system and the employment market. Moreover, the lack of soft skills in Chinese graduates is also coupled with a lack of adequate experience in real work environments due to a lack of internships. Therefore, a redesign of the Chinese education system is required to bridge the gap between the institutions of higher learning and the job market (Yan et al.). The introduction of modules for soft skills in major courses and mandatory requirements for internships will help to equip the graduates better. The development of soft skills will benefit not only the students in their future careers but also the employment market and the overall economy as a whole. For this reason, the Chinese education system needs to include training on soft skills in its curriculum to ensure it produces well-rounded graduates.
China has grown to become the manufacturing capital of the world. The increase in the number of multinational organizations migrating their production operations to China has led to the rise in demand for skilled workers. As a response, the Chinese government has significantly invested in boosting higher education in the country. Chan, a writer for voices magazine, states that institutions of higher learning in China have more than doubled since the year 2000. This effort has helped in fulfilling the demand for technical skills required in the manufacturing industry. However, there still exists a vast gap in the industry requirement for graduates with more than basic technical skills. The focus on technical skills by the Chinese education system has left many graduates lacking in essential soft skills such as communication skills, presentation skills, leadership skills, teamwork, and self-motivation skills (Cournoyer). The requirement for graduates endowed with adequate soft skills is on the rise as companies seek workers who can do more than the bare minimum. Chan cites various business surveys that show that the demand for employees in mid-level management in china is on the rise. The main requirements for these positions are soft skills such as communication, leadership, and self-motivation skills. Therefore, it is imperative that the Chinese education system changes to incorporate soft skills as essential modules in all the courses of higher learning.
The general structure of the education system in china is designed to equip students with the technical skills that complement the technological nature of the economy. However, research has shown that soft skills play an equally, if not greater, role in career development and success (Yan et al.). The lack of soft skills in most Chinese graduates has meant that most firms are currently struggling to find suitable candidates to fill positions in mid-level management and other business-related roles. Coupled with the lack of soft skills is the lack of practical skills for real-world experiences. This problem is attributed to the fact that internships are not a core requirement for graduation in the Chinese education system. Locket & Feng, writers at Global Focus Magazine, posit that internships offer students an excellent platform for developing soft skills relevant in the real work environment. They continue to argue that well-structured internships can help graduates to bridge the disconnect between what they learn in school and the requirements of the employment market. The curriculum in higher learning institutions should, therefore, put more emphasis on internships to better equip their graduates for the job market. The need for soft skills does not only apply to the job employment sector but also to the entrepreneurial space (Lockett & Feng). To be successful business entrepreneurs, it is essential for students to have adequate soft skills such as leadership, communication, and presentation skills. Therefore, there is an inherent need for training students on soft skills that can complement their technical skills, thus making them better graduates.
Soft skills have been identified to play a more crucial role in the career advancement of employees through promotion, healthy teamwork, and successful leadership roles. According to Yan et al., studies conducted by the Carnegie Melon Foundation and the Stanford Institute shows that soft skills account for 75% of success in long term work while only 25% of success is dependent on technical skills. These findings underline the importance of soft skills to graduates venturing into the employment market or business. In this regard, the curriculum needs to be reviewed to ensure that soft skills are included as core modules in both commercial and technical courses. Students should be encouraged to take up classes offering training on vital soft skills such as communication, leadership, presentation, and self-motivation (Chan). Communication skills cut across all departments and will be crucial when interacting with clients, co-workers, and management. Additionally, Leadership skills will equip graduates with the ability to manage projects, teams, and companies. In cases where students aim to become entrepreneurs, leadership skills coupled with self-motivation will aid them in creating successful business ventures. Furthermore, presentation skills will come in handy when pitching new ideas to investors, management, and clients. Therefore, the Chinese government should really look into revising the curriculum in its education system to address the soft skills deficiency in their graduates effectively.
Apart from the soft skills learned in class, the experiences derived from real work environments also help in equipping students with the relevant skills sort out by most employers. Therefore, a focus should also be placed on internships for students as a core requirement for graduation. According to Lockett & Feng, most employers have identified internships as platforms where students can nurture their technical as well as soft skills. Internships have also been found to provide students with experience on how the job markets in their chosen career paths operate. In turn, this helps the graduate to relate the theoretical content learned in school with the industry requirements for new employees. For this reason, the education system should also focus on making internships a mandatory requirement for students before they graduate. Yan et al. have a similar view and argue that, through internships, students can learn critical soft skills such as teamwork and self-motivation. Consequently, a combination of the soft skills and experience earned through internships will help in bridging the skills gap between the education and employment sectors. Ultimately, the net result of soft skills learned in school, and those gained in internships will help graduates to be ready for their future careers.
In conclusion, the Chinese education system is found to be lacking as it places more focus on technical skills as compared to soft skills. However, soft skills have been identified to play a much more significant role in the successful advancement of graduates in their future careers. Most employers have identified communication, leadership, presentation, and self-motivation skills to be of particular interest. For these reasons, a change in curriculum is required to ensure soft skills are incorporated in courses offered by higher learning institutions. Furthermore, internships have also been found to play a critical role in enhancing students’ soft skills as well as equipping them with relevant experience for the job market. Therefore, the Chinese government should look into a revamp of the education system through the introduction of soft skills classes and mandatory internships to improve the quality of graduates that emerge.
Works Cited
Chan, Jeremy. “Is China Creating a Workforce With No Soft Skills?” British Council, March 2, 2015, www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/china-creating-workforce-no-soft-skills Accessed May 4, 2020.
Cournoyer, Michel. “China – No Acute Skills Gap, But a Lack of Soft skills, Report says.” Job Market Monitor, October 24, 2016, jobmarketmonitor.com/2016/10/24/china-no-acute-skills-gap-but-a-lack-of-soft-skills-report-says/ Accessed May 4, 2020.
Lockett, Martin & Feng, Xuan. “Chinese Graduates: The employability Disconnect.” Global Focus Magazine, October 31, 2019, www.globalfocusmagazine.com/chinese-graduates-the-employability-disconnect/ Accessed May 4, 2020.
Yan, Li, et al. “Teaching “soft skills” to university students in China: The feasibility of an Australian approach.” Educational Studies vol. 45, no.2, 2019, pp 242-258.