Knowledge economy requires investment and development of soft skills – Expert

Botswana is keen to transition from a resourcebased economy to a knowledge- based economy, which will require investment in mechanisms that will ensure that soft skills are developed among citizens.

While previously, skills and qualification alone were defining factors for employability and business skills, soft skills have been pitted as essential.

According to the recent Udemy Workplace Learning Trends Report, having a growth mindset and being able to adapt, are ranked the most important soft skill for career and business success in the current times. “People who are motivated to reach higher levels achievement ( instead of sticking to a set of fixed skills) by learning new skills that can’t be replicated by future technology are more likely to succeed in the face of setbacks.” The report stipulates that the future of the workplace and business environment, requires a ‘’ human element,’ that is soft skills such as critical thinking, creativity, innovation and emotional intelligence, as they cannot be replaced by technology. “There will come a time when machines ( technology) become so advanced that they would be able to programme themselves, and when that happens, only businesses and jobs that focus on human interaction will continue to thrive,” the report says.

Furthermore, personal development and talent management is a key factor in education and training, in the evolving workforce and business environment and Botswana has to catch up with this global shifts and trends, says Mompoloki Makwane, a career and business coach and director of Prime Coaching. Makwane, who works with corporate organisations to help them improve their work and business culture, said on the backdrop of Covi19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns and social distancing restrictions, many individuals and organisations have been forced to re- consider how they conduct business and find seamless ways to reintegrate with the new normal. Makwane said change is central to global development, and those who refuse to adapt to change, would be left behind and be denied opportunities. He pointed out that for one, most employers now prioritise the adaptability and multi- functional skills of an employee when hiring or headhunting, something which is a change from the past, when educational qualification and work experience counted for something.

Makwane also advised that at an individual level, Batswana would do well to invest in themselves, emphasising that upskilling is not a luxury but a necessity in today’s fast- changing world.

He said government and other stakeholders could also assist with this upskilling by regularly conducting capacitation workshops. He argued that as the world becomes more digitalised, the threat is not necessarily from computers taking over, but rather, how people can work well alongside technology.

Makwane said Batswana should embrace themselves for a new wave of change in the workforce between 2021 and 2025 as the whole world grapples in a new order of conducting business and in different approaches to career.

He said there would also be an increase in entrepreneurship as people find ways to complement their income through side- hustles, which he refers to as extra gigs, and find ways to monetise their natural talents. “In developed countries, working more than one job is a norm unlike here, where it is a new culture. The side gig is essential to diversifying one’s career portfolio and acquiring new and different skills that would render them indispensable in the workplace, and lead to business advance,” he said.