Career Ready Plan Develop your skills

Develop your skills

Employers will be interested in the technical and transferrable skills you bring to their organisation and position. Your technical skills will be specific to your degree such as your clinical, scientific, pedagogic, or therapeutic skills. Your transferrable skills are skills you can use across various jobs and industries such as your communication, critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, planning or self-management skills. Transferrable skills are also referred to as soft skills, work skills or employability skills and are highly valued by employers.

You will develop your skills throughout your university studies, workplace experiences, and other life activities.

Address any skill gaps you identify when researching employer expectations for future career relevant positions.

Take ownership of your skills development so that by the time you graduate you have filled every semester with systematically recorded experiences that complement your course. It will prove very helpful when applying for work.

Tips

  • Be aware of the skills you are developing through all aspects of your life. Consciously use all opportunities to develop your skills.
  • Workplace experience not connected to your studies will still provide you with opportunities to develop and display your transferrable skills such as teamwork, communication, customer service.
  • Your subject outlines will specify the technical and transferrable skills you are developing. Make the most of the opportunities presented as they may prove useful when asked to give evidence in job applications.
  • Volunteer in a career relevant field to further develop workplace skills.
  • Undertake professional development in addition to your degree studies to gain specific skills to increase your competitiveness.
  • You can access over 5000 online courses for free through LinkedIn Learning. Log in through the JCU University Library website to gain free access to these courses.
  • Undertake free online courses (MOOCs) to fill any skill gaps identified. Courses are developed by universities around the world and delivered on major MOOC platforms such as Coursera, edX , Futurelearn and Udacity.
  • Investigate skill development opportunities that may be offered through your career relevant professional association (e.g. Australian Association of Social Workers AASW) or professional body.