The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Red Sea University organized one-day seminar on “Skills Required in Today’s World” on November 27, 2023, at the University’s Main Campus.
The seminar’s goal was to equip graduating students with the type of skills and knowledge they would need to survive in the face of the world’s tremendously fast changes and its move toward automation and artificial intelligence, when simply learning a subject and landing a job right away would not be enough. This aligns with the university’s main objective of developing students capable of adapting to changes.
By attending this seminar and applying the information presented, students would avoid becoming redundant after graduation and would be inspired to keep applying their intelligence to generate new ideas and solutions in light of the nation’s rising unemployment rate, particularly in the Puntland region where the ratio of graduates to jobs is asymmetrical.
Although the seminar was open to all students, the seminar’s target audience was 4th year graduating students. 85 students from all faculties of the university attended the session.
The seminar was opened with a welcome speech by Mr. Nasrudin M. Ahmed, the acting Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, who also served as the session’s initiator. Mr. Nasrudin emphasized the importance of the seminar and stated that students would thrive in their personal life after graduation if they completely understood the subject matter and implemented it.
Mr. Ahmed Mohamud Mohamed, who has 32 years of expertise in telecommunications, information technology, and business, had graciously offered to facilitate the seminar. He has been given the floor to begin the session and deliver its content. The session was more of a brainstorming than lecturing.
The Facilitator Starting the Session
The seminar concentrated on reskilling and upskilling processes to assist graduates become more competitive and employable. The facilitator described the various methods for acquiring such skills as formal, information, and self-education in order to advance one’s profession and development. The facilitator went on to outline the benefits and drawbacks of structured, instructor-led, goal-oriented, and face-to-face skill development.
The facilitator emphasized the necessity of integrating personal study, reading articles and blogs, and peer to peer learning to build a well-rounded and effective learning strategy, allowing for a tailored and adaptive educational experience at the self-education level.
The audience was informed of the difficulties they will experience when learning new skills. To help students study more effectively, the facilitator highlighted ways to minimize distractions such as social media, friends, and family, and demonstrated time management skills. He stressed the necessity of prioritization and categorizing tasks as critical, urgent, or normal.
The Facilitator in Action
The significance of learning a foreign language is discussed. In today’s world, one must acquire foreign languages, particularly English and Arabic, which Somalis comprehend and on which science and other learning materials are written.
Finally the following skills were highlighted as the most desired career sectors: financial analysis, healthcare and technology, , statistics, renewable energy, electrics and electronics, multimedia, finance and technology, entrepreneurship, agriculture and technology, farming, irrigation, and fishing.
The university’s registrar also addressed the participants, urging them to have a balance of talents and computer knowledge. He has advised them to take their lives seriously so that their lives become serious with them.
The Facilitator in Action
The Dean of the University’s Faculty of Sharia and Law underlined the importance of inventing, critically thinking, and creating possibilities for themselves without relying on their parents, who have paid for all of their educational expenses. He presented an example of himself finding opportunities for himself rather than waiting for his parents to find him a job and the level of self-sufficiency he has now attained. He has advised all graduates to start thinking about initiatives right once, even before they graduate.
The president of Red Sea University Student’s Association also addressed the participants urging them to unite and seek advice from experienced and elders.
The seminar was adjourned.
