GiLE Journal of Skills Development
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The impact of COVID-19 on the readiness of enterprises for employee training with the use of ICT: A comparison of the Visegrad four countries
No full textThis paper examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the readiness of enterprises for employee training using ICT. It first examines Eurostat\u27s secondary data, mainly comparing 2019 and 2022 for medium-sized enterprises (50-249 employees, all sectors excluding the financial sector) from the Visegrad four countries. It then examines two specific Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) indicators: Human Capital and Integration of Digital Technology. The paper concludes with an analysis of these indicators using the Kruskal-Wallis test to confirm or reject the assumed positive relationship between the indicators, and data about enterprises that provide training in order to develop the ICT skills of their employees. Data on ICT usage in enterprises were collected from Eurostat. Data on the Digital Economy and Society Index were collected for comparative analysis. COVID-19 was found to have had no significant effect on enterprise readiness for employee training with ICT. The results also suggest no positive relationship between ICT employee training and indicators from the DESI index. Learning and development practitioners should take greater account of changing and unpredictable realities, as well as the evolving nature of information and communication technology (ICT). The COVID-19 pandemic may yet help to modernise existing development offerings in organisations and foster a culture of lifelong learning
Instead of competencies, leadership qualities are a new direction in leadership development
Full text linkThe last few years have significantly transformed our thinking about leadership. The Covid-19 pandemic and the effects of the increasing VUCA world have a great influence on what makes a leader and thus his/her organization successful. For leaders, the most important thing is to develop the mindset that leadership is their profession, and they need to develop it every day. In this study, I present the basis of a new methodology developed in practice, which no longer focuses on competencies but rather brings leadership qualities to the public consciousness. CRAFT leadership qualities are creativity, resilience, agility, focus, and trust. Transforming challenges require self-aware leaders who are highly trained in the five CRAFT leadership qualities. CRAFT leadership, as a complex system-wide model, can make a significant contribution to this leadership development. These qualities help present and future professionals to become durable and high-quality
Working from Home vs. In-office post-COVID-19: The End of a Seemingly Never-ending Debate?
Full text linkThe recent COVID-19 pandemic has swiftly and drastically transformed our daily lives, including our perception of working-from-home (WFH) practices. Even in a post-pandemic world, employees have shown an ardent desire to retain the benefits of the novel pandemic-induced remote work experience, which challenges managers to reintegrate them into the conventional office setting. This paper aims to assess the advantages and disadvantages of home and office work environments from the viewpoints of employees and employers to identify the optimal future scenario that maximises the benefits to all parties involved. Although our understanding of the optimal balance between remote and office work is limited, the future of work will involve a hybrid approach, combining remote and in-office work. The transition to such an arrangement demands time, creativity, trust, and various other factors from the parties. It also calls for serious mindset shifts and up/reskilling efforts. The review ends with a consideration of future scenarios and industry implications of adopting hybrid work
Long-Term Effects of Study Abroad: Building Global Citizenship Skills For a Contributive Way of Living
Full text linkAmidst U.S. higher education institutions (HEIs), there exists a prevailing notion that global citizenship education (GCE) serves as a driving force in furnishing students with aptitudes suited for the 21st century. As a result, study abroad programs have been used as a common method to promote GCE and provide intercultural experiences for students. However, not much research has been conducted to measure the long-term effects of GCE and such study-abroad programs and how these experiences can impact participants’ characters. Employing a qualitative approach, this research delved into phenomenological interviews to reveal how study abroad has worked as GCE to foster global citizens. The subjects of this study experienced semester-abroad programs during their undergraduate program1 at a U.S. university. The research outcomes showed a multitude of insights: (1) research participants developed comprehensive perspectives regarding the concepts of global citizenship and contributing to society, irrespective of their diverse backgrounds; (2) the enduring influence of GCE and study abroad became evident in the decision-making processes related to their career and academic trajectories post-graduation; and (3) study abroad experiences substantially nurtured interviewees’ ability to navigate diverse cultures, to take purposeful action based on their established connections with others, and to perceive differences and interconnectedness. Furthermore, the research outcome showed that enduring skills and traits as global citizens could be acquired throughout the undergraduate program on a daily basis, and these skills include intercultural competence, dialogue, and understanding of interconnectedness. These results not only fill out the existing research gap but also reinforce the effectiveness of young people’s character-building as global citizens through GCE and study abroad programs
Three Key Ways That Mentorship Can Support Early Career Scholars
Full text linkNavigating the intrinsic landscape of academia can often feel like attempting to manoeuvre through a maze, especially for individuals at the dawn of their scholarly journey. Drawing on my previous experience as an early career scholar, my current role as a global mentor to emerging scholars, and my decade of research on sustainable careers, I shed light on the profound impact of mentorship for early career scholars. This article uncovers three compelling facets illuminating how mentorship can offer robust scaffolding for these intellectuals. Firstly, we unravel the secret to deciphering the unspoken codes of the academic world, ensuring you are not just a player but a master of the game. Secondly, we explore how taking the reins of your academic destiny can be made more attainable with a mentor\u27s steady support and wisdom. Lastly, we delve into the often overlooked link between mentorship and holistic well-being, emphasising the vital role in nurturing careers and personal fulfilment. Through these insights, we see how mentorship catalyses early career scholars towards heightened productivity, career satisfaction, and an increased likelihood of success in their scholarly pursuits
Employability Skills: Rethink Your Learning
Full text linkTechnology has been responsible for the digitisation and automation of routine jobs. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) this trend is likely to continue into more technical or sophisticated work. This gives rise to the question; how can graduates and employees ensure they have a job in the future? A precondition for understanding lifelong learning is to clarify what kind of learning may take place throughout an employee’s career. This paper explores the concepts of employability skills, soft skills, and 21st century skills in an effort to identify where particularly human skills will still be essential. After reviewing research in the area of employability skills, mainly from a labour market perspective, the paper goes on to contextualise the training and development of employability skills in higher education. Following that, reasons for developing and introducing employability skills modules in higher education are discussed and based on the literature, recommendations are made for higher education institutions, tutors, students, and employees
Your Old Road Is Rapidly Aging. Please Get Out of the New One if You Can’t Lend Your Hand, for the Times They Are A-Changing: Time for Inclusive Conferences
Full text linkVirtual Interview Preparation for Generation Z Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Students - A Necessity for the Post-Pandemic Era: A Gen Z STEM Student Virtual Interview Step-by-Step Guide
No full textSocial distancing and remote work were mandated worldwide during the COVID-19 lockdown. While virtual interviews were conducted prior to lockdown due to the growing global workforce, they became normalized during the pandemic for both work and school. Hiring agents may believe that having grown up with technology and the internet Generation Z (Gen Z) may be well-prepared for virtual interviews. However, the challenge they face is not technology-related. Gen Z individuals, particularly those in STEM fields, often lack well-developed practical and pragmatic life skills, such as effective communication. A remote independent research scholar and her student compiled this field report. First, the general characteristics of Gen Z STEM students are presented, followed by a virtual interview preparation guide with tips, recommendations and examples. Given the ever-changing global remote workforce, future empirical studies are recommended on the virtual hiring process of Gen Z STEM students which includes and expands upon virtual interviews
Critical educators should embrace the employability agenda.
Full text linkGraduate employability, as a desirable outcome of higher education, is a concept that is widely opposed by educators who practice critical pedagogy. Employability, it is argued, reinforces capitalist expectations, exemplifying the anti-democratic hollowing out of education over the last four decades. The central argument of this essay is that employability is not a concept that educators can ignore. Indeed, inherent in the development of desirable graduate attributes and employability skills, there are opportunities for critical educators to support students in the development of their social awareness and sense of civic autonomy. This essay will further argue that educators who seek to opt out of the employability agenda are failing to live up to their own values of seeking a truly equal partnership of learning with their students