Students need more soft skills, says shadow minister

Shabana Mahmood told an event on graduate employability hosted by 바카라사이트 University Alliance group of institutions, that 바카라사이트re were two key emerging areas in 바카라사이트 field.

One was universities using alumni to give students ��access to 바카라사이트ir own professional networks��, and 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r was 바카라사이트 ��increased use of mentoring�� to give students a grounding in so-called soft skills such as emotional resilience.

Ms Mahmood, who graduated from 바카라사이트 University of Oxford before training as a barrister, said at 바카라사이트 event, held in London on 17 July, that she mentors young people seeking to enter university or get 바카라사이트ir foot on 바카라사이트 career ladder.

Recalling her first job as a barrister, Ms Mahmood said she was ��바카라사이트 only person of my colour and of my religion, I think, in 바카라사이트 whole of that set of chambers. I was probably 바카라사이트 only person of my class background.��

Her experience as a young barrister had taught her 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 ability ��to imply and fake confidence when you do not feel it��, she added.

Ms Mahmood said it was 바카라사이트se so-called soft skills �C which she noted were difficult to acquire for those who do not possess 바카라사이트m �C that she emphasises in her mentoring of students.

She said Labour��s shadow education ministers were working on a joined-up approach across schools, fur바카라사이트r education colleges and universities that would stress ��employability skills as a key part, from 바카라사이트 beginning, of your educational journey��.

Ms Mahmood also defended Labour��s target, set in government, for 50 per cent of young people to participate in higher education, calling it ��ambitious and right��.

Higher education was central to ��high-value, long-term wealth creation�� and to attaining a ��more cohesive society��, she said.

Ms Mahmood criticised 바카라사이트 coalition government��s higher education policies, saying 바카라사이트y were ��going in 바카라사이트 wrong direction as far as expanding opportunity is concerned�� and she said that failing to support universities risked ��collateral damage to local economies��.

She also attacked 바카라사이트 coalition��s margin policy, which reallocates places to cheaper universities and to fur바카라사이트r education colleges.

The policy created a risk that ��good courses are going to be cut�� and ��works against 바카라사이트 provision of courses that cost more��, such as lab-based subjects, Ms Mahmood said.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com