From Classroom to Career: Recognising Your Transferable Skills
Problem Solving, Critical Thinking, Analysing, Communicating, Organising, Leading …
Introduction
Whether you are at school, in further education, completing an apprenticeship or in full time employment, you will be showing signs of one, some or all of the skills above. But recognising your skills can be more of a challenge than developing them. Self reflection is one of the most powerful tools you hold and it's essential when recognising where you are today.
Whether you're working on a team project, presenting to your peers or trying to find the correct component to progress a project, you're displaying transferable skills.
This article will explore the topic of ‘Transferable Skills’, how you are likely using some already, the value and importance of them in an engineering role, and how to identify the ones you are demonstrating today.
Transferable Skills
Transferable skills, otherwise known as soft skills, help you to work better with people in an engineering work place.
STOP.
Let's rephrase that sentence.
Transferable skills, otherwise known as soft skills help you to work better with people.
Think of a group activity, tasked with solving a problem. A good team will communicate well and show signs of creativity, leadership and problem solving. This doesn't mean that each team member will show signs of each, some or all of the soft skills mentioned. A team is the sum of its parts, it's important that each member of the team contributes in their own unique way, with the best teams having a balance of team members with different skills. Team members with specific soft skills will suit different positions. An easy one to mention first is the leader of the team who demonstrates leadership qualities. Leadership is a soft skill but by its very nature, leadership requires multiple transferable skills. Good leaders are communicators, strong decision makers and can work well under pressure. Alternatively a team member who is more of a "doer" will be a good problem solver, will display creativity and adaptability.
In school, college, and university, group projects and team activities provide valuable settings to understand the soft skills you and others demonstrate. In a team environment each team member once comfortable will demonstrate their skills.
The next time you're in a team project, take a moment to assess and identify how each team member is contributing and in what way. Who is leading, who is the creative mind behind the solution, who is managing the teams activities and the timescales for completing each task, who is preparing the presentation and conversely who is presenting the final outcome. Each one of these tasks and the contributors to them enables you to realise the specific soft skills which are associated with each.
Transferable Skills in Engineering
With challenges such as working from home, cross time zone meetings and the use of technology to do so, your transferable skills in an engineering job are more important now than ever. Transferable skills help you engage, collaborate and work with others to reach common goals, and as an engineer you require each on a day to day basis.
The UK-SPEC perfectly summaries the need for transferable skills, as outlined in Article No.7 - Engineering Career: A Guide to Building Your Development Plan. Despite there being five competencies required to become professionally registered in the UK, two out of the five competencies are related to your transferable skills -
C. Responsibility, management and Leadership
D. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Engineers work with other engineers but also with other functions across a business. In many instances an engineer will work for a project manager who will manage the overall project and focus primarily on the project's constraints; Time, Scope and Cost. As an engineer, you will be required to provide updates to the project manager on the work packages you are leading and although you are employed to ensure the technical elements of the project are delivered, you will be required to use your soft skills to clearly communicate your progress, present key findings, negotiate for more time or funding and provide engineering leadership.
Engineering is a technical profession, but engineers with transferable skills stand out from the crowd.
Identifying Your Transferable Skills
You may be studying for your Higher Mathematics exam, looking at apprenticeship options or maybe you are already enrolled on a Mechanical Engineering course at College or University...
So why are 'Transferable Skills' important to you, the aspiring engineer?
Employers are keen for you to articulate and demonstrate your transferable skills in your CV, job application and during the interview. The soft skills you develop during school, college and university are no less important than the ones you will develop once in your job role. But it is equally important to know that your transferable skills and the development of them is not confined to education.
Whether it’s a part time job working in a clothes shop or playing for your local football team, all while trying to maintain your other hobbies such as researching A.I and writing computer code, your transferable skills are developing.
Using the Mind Map technique is a great way of identifying what transferable skills you are demonstrating through education, hobbies and personal interests. Map out what activities you do on a weekly basis and by breaking them down into when, what, why and how, you should be able to cross reference each with the list below.
Problem-solving
Critical thinking
Analytical skills
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Time management
Adaptability
Creativity
Leadership
Research skills
Decision-making
Presentation skills
Organisational skills
Negotiation skills
Ability to work under pressure
Continuous learning and development
By doing this exercise, you can use your own skills and build them into your CV, your next job application and into your pre-prepared answers for your next interview.
Knowing your skills and when you demonstrate them can be the difference between you and the competition.
Conclusion
As an aspiring engineer, employers are keen for you to demonstrate your transferable skills during the application process. Transferable skills complement your technical knowledge and will enable you to progress your career and ultimately support your overall professional growth and career success. Transferable skills are required in the work place, but you are already developing them in education and during your personal activities.