Dubai: Youth should develop soft skills in post-Covid world, say experts

Speakers share career advice during the opening session of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Published: Thu 3 Feb 2022, 6:08 PM

By
Sherouk Zakaria

Saeed Al Nazari, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority. Photo: Twitter

Young people must develop their soft skills and find their unique talents as they move across an ever-evolving post-Covid-19 world, said experts.

Sharing career advice to the youth during the opening session of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, Saeed Al Nazari, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority, said people's character, system of values, beliefs and identity are the constants that make them unique in an era where jobs are fast-changing.

“We call it core skills instead of soft skills," he explained.

Character building, Al Nazari noted, lies at the core of the Federal Youth Authority’s priorities for its importance in helping youth conquer challenges and become more adaptive.

“Financial literacy, for example, is significant in today’s world. But if we do not understand the ideas, emotions and behaviours connected to investments or the psychology of finance, we will not be able to make efficient decisions,” he said.

Establishing a clear vision for the future is key to adapting to the surrounding environment. “We need to understand and learn the power of connecting the dots between now and where we aspire to be in 10 years. Once the vision and destination are clear, you can keep changing and adapting to your environment,” said Al Nazari.

Captain Dr Abdulla Bin Ahmad AlShaikh, Head of the Diplomatic and Consular Affairs at Dubai Police, stressed that it is the youth’s personal responsibility to balance their educational degrees with their skills. Unpredictable times and health crises must be taken as an opportunity to gain a new perspective and shape skills.

“During Covid-19, for example, we gained skills and knowledge on how to work remotely,” said AlShaikh.

“To be well-prepared for tomorrow, we need to think of the skills we have and the skills we desire to have to benefit ourselves, societies and the world.”

He urged the youth to incorporate reading into their lives in fields outside their scope and gain writing skills to tell their stories and share their challenges.

Developing a sense of curiosity and wonder can open young people’s perspectives on possibilities.

Dr Tiffany Delport, Co-CEO Environmental Operations and Educational Partnerships – MENA, said while technologies increase access to resources and expand opportunities, youth need to be proactive and engaged with their surroundings to open their career pathways.

“Asking questions, listening to stories and learning from those coming before us, while volunteering our time to care for different causes is where careers develop,” said Delport.

Isobel Abulhoul, Founder, CEO and Trustee of Emirates Literature Foundation, urged young people to find the unique talents and abilities within themselves and learn to accept failure. “When times change, we adapt while bringing our experiences and talents with us throughout.”

She stressed that today’s world is filled with opportunities that require hard work to seize. “You must accept that life is not fair and decide whether you are going to be determined or choose to give up.”

“Believe in yourselves, and the world will believe in you,” said Abulhoul.

Citing gaming as an example, Al Nazari said humans are designed to adapt to challenging enviornments. “When we fail to defeat the big monster, we keep trying and searching for new ways to win. Now imagine if games were designed for us to win, we would not have felt the joy or entertainment.”

He added, “as humans, we are designed to fail, think again and adapt. It is part of our DNA.”

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com