Abstract
21
st
Century employers are looking for graduates who possess soft skills that include responsibility, self-confidence, social and
communication skills, flexiblity, team-spiritedness, good work attitude, self-motivation and self-management. Many skills
learned through project-based learning are highly sought by today's employers including the ability to work well with others,
handle interpersonal conflicts, make thoughtful decisions, as well as practise and solve complex problems. A project based
learning (PjBL) approach was undertaken through a project assigned in a Workplace Communication course, to incorporate these
soft skills. The project work assigned required students to investigate a workplace problem in a real workplace setting. This
present study was conducted to identify the relevant soft skills acquired when undergoing the project work. It also aims to find
out how PjBL has equipped students with the related soft skills in the 21st century workplace environment. In view of this, it is
evident that project-based learning facilitates the growth of learners in acquiring the aforementioned skills.
© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer reviewed under responsibility of the UKM Teaching and Learning
Congress 2011.
Keywords: 21st century workplace; acquiring skills; employers; project-based learning (PjBL); soft skills
1. Introduction
It is imperative that universities in Malaysia equip the future workforce with the innovative skills required for a
competitive economy. Highly skilled graduates need to be developed to face the challenges of increased competition
in both local and global market. Industry requires graduates who understand their roles in building their
organizations, and to execute their roles effectively. According to the Dearing Report (NCIHE, 1997) the primary
purpose of higher education, in all essence, is to prepare students for the workplace.
Graduates need to be given more opportunities to develop generic attributes besides disciplinary knowledge.
Generic attributes include communication skills, problem-solving skills, computer literacy, information literacy,
ability and willingness to learn, and teamwork. Undeniably, knowledgeable and skilled graduates are highly
demanded for any job requirements. This fact is further strengthened by Yorke (2006) who states that for a graduate
to be employable, he or she needs to acquire a set of achievements skills, understandings and personal attributes that
* Corresponding author. Tel.:+6-03-8921-6881; Fax:+6-03-8925-2976
E-mail address: faridahm@ukm.my
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer reviewed under responsibility of the UKM Teaching and
Learning Congress 2011 Open access under
Abstract21stCentury employers are looking for graduates who possess soft skills that include responsibility, self-confidence, social andcommunication skills, flexiblity, team-spiritedness, good work attitude, self-motivation and self-management. Many skillslearned through project-based learning are highly sought by today's employers including the ability to work well with others,handle interpersonal conflicts, make thoughtful decisions, as well as practise and solve complex problems. A project basedlearning (PjBL) approach was undertaken through a project assigned in a Workplace Communication course, to incorporate thesesoft skills. The project work assigned required students to investigate a workplace problem in a real workplace setting. Thispresent study was conducted to identify the relevant soft skills acquired when undergoing the project work. It also aims to findout how PjBL has equipped students with the related soft skills in the 21st century workplace environment. In view of this, it isevident that project-based learning facilitates the growth of learners in acquiring the aforementioned skills.© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer reviewed under responsibility of the UKM Teaching and LearningCongress 2011.Keywords: 21st century workplace; acquiring skills; employers; project-based learning (PjBL); soft skills1. IntroductionIt is imperative that universities in Malaysia equip the future workforce with the innovative skills required for acompetitive economy. Highly skilled graduates need to be developed to face the challenges of increased competitionin both local and global market. Industry requires graduates who understand their roles in building theirorganizations, and to execute their roles effectively. According to the Dearing Report (NCIHE, 1997) the primarypurpose of higher education, in all essence, is to prepare students for the workplace.Graduates need to be given more opportunities to develop generic attributes besides disciplinary knowledge.Generic attributes include communication skills, problem-solving skills, computer literacy, information literacy,ability and willingness to learn, and teamwork. Undeniably, knowledgeable and skilled graduates are highlydemanded for any job requirements. This fact is further strengthened by Yorke (2006) who states that for a graduateto be employable, he or she needs to acquire a set of achievements skills, understandings and personal attributes that* Corresponding author. Tel.:+6-03-8921-6881; Fax:+6-03-8925-2976E-mail address: faridahm@ukm.myAvailable online at www.sciencedirect.com© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer reviewed under responsibility of the UKM Teaching andLearning Congress 2011 Open access under
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