A DEAKIN University pilot study is testing whether focussing on soft skills can help get older Australians back into the workforce.<\/p>\n
Unemployed jobseekers aged between 40 and 65 from Geelong or Melbourne are invited to apply to be part of the program, where they will be able to complete free professional skills and expertise assessments, then get matched with relevant employers.<\/p>\n
Project leader Dr Nick Patterson, a lecturer in Deakin\u2019s School of Information Technology, said the program would allow job seekers to be formally assessed by the university on a raft of its \u201cProfessional Practice credentials\u201d, which recognised core employability skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese credentials focus on so called \u2018soft skills\u2019 such as critical thinking, teamwork, problem solving, communication, digital literacy, self-management and innovation,\u201d Dr Patterson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce five of these have been completed \u2013 equivalent to about 12 to 15 hours of online assessment \u2013 the participants are matched with a job recruiter to help get them back into the workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe see this as a great way to meet growing employer demand for workers with strong evidence of soft skills, which can be effectively adapted to the vast majority of roles and workplaces.<\/p>\n
\u201cA recent Deloitte Access Economics report, \u2018Soft skills for business success\u2019, suggests that soft skill-intensive occupations will account for two-thirds of all jobs by 2030 and will be integral for building Australia\u2019s future workforce.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy recognising these important skills with official credentials it takes the guesswork out of hiring new staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmployers can make a much more informed hiring decision because a prospective employee\u2019s soft skills have already been assessed independently by Deakin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Patterson said the program recognised that Australians were increasingly being required to stay in the workforce longer, and was particularly focussed on helping those in situations that made it more difficult than usual to find a job.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that may be people who are living in an area where there are few available jobs, or where major companies or factories have closed or relocated overseas.\u201d<\/p>\n
To find out more about the trial, or to apply to take part, phone Dr Patterson on 9251 7903 or email nick.patterson@deakin.edu.au.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A DEAKIN University pilot study is testing whether focussing on soft skills can help get older Australians back into the workforce. Unemployed jobseekers aged between 40 and 65 from Geelong or Melbourne are invited to apply to be part of the program, where they will be able to complete free professional skills and expertise assessments, […]<\/p>\n