Transferable skills can be defined as those skills or abilities that can be applied equally from one job to another. They are skills that graduates have gathered through volunteer work, sports, hobbies, community work, and can be used in their new careers. The importance of transferable skills for graduates cannot be overstated. There is a growing demand from employers, for strong graduates with desirable transferable skills.

In this day and age, employers expect graduates to not only have knowledge of their area of study or expertise, but to have the inherent and learned ability to adapt to the new working environment they will be joining, bringing exceptional communication skills, the ability to lead and be led, and the proven ability to function efficiently and effectively.

Transferable Skills and Education

Education does not mean simply to impart knowledge, but to contribute to the holistic development of the student. Skills, such as communication skills, planning skills, and multi-tasking skills, among others, are known as transferable skills, and are also alternately called key skills, generic skills, or core skills.

In the ever-changing employment market, there is an increasing need for graduates to move away from the conventional market, as there is a diverse range of jobs for them. They need to perform efficiently as soon as they take up their new appointment, utilizing the many transferable skills they may have picked up during their education. Todays work environment strongly endorses the transferable skills in a graduate seeking employment.

There is research going on to identify the type of transferable skills that are required by graduates. The scope of the research, among others, includes:

Identifying transferable skills valued by employers

Ascertaining the importance of transferable skills when recruiting graduates

While recruiting graduates, transferable skills is a more sought after factor as opposed to academic record and relevant work experience. Developing transferable skills that would be an asset in a work environment is a major concern for graduates. In the fast-paced work environment, employers are looking for graduates who can fit into their organizations; can add value and learning quickly.

More and more organizations and employers are looking to employ graduates, who not only are experts in their career field, but also are competent in other realms of the business world including communication, networking, team building, and career management.

Some of the transferable skills, which employers look for, are:

Delegating responsibility
Dealing with crises
Attending to visual detail
Assessing and evaluating own and others' work
Time management
Multi-tasking
Presenting written and oral material
Handling complaints
Keeping records
Coordinating activities
Planning and arranging activities
Utilizing specific computer software
Training or teaching others
Motivating others
Identifying and managing ethical issues

Organizations with affirmative recruiting objectives will recruit earlier, even before the end of the academic year, allowing them first pick in graduates.