Influence of Life Skills Development Toward Enhanced Employability Traits in Project students- A Case Study

Abstract

With the advancement in technology and disruptions taking shape at an even more rapid pace, it becomes imperative for human resources to develop themselves ever more as human capital. This study focuses on the influence of life skills development towards employability traits in project students at Middle East College (MEC), Oman.  Project modules are large credit final modules undertaken by students at the Diploma and Bachelor’s stages of their course of study, in which the student not only gets to showcase their conceptual understanding of their taught modules but also get ample opportunity to work in teams, lead, coordinate and work on real-life organizational issues to find solutions. 

The main objective of the study is to analyze the impact of formal life skills development on enhancing employability traits. The study focuses on life skills like communication, empathy, critical and creative thinking, self-awareness, and management that influence employability, learning, personal empowerment, and active citizenship. Various research exists on life skills development, but limited research is done on the impact of life skills development on employability traits, particularly in Oman. This study relies on a mixed approach. Both primary (interviews and questionnaires) and secondary sources were used to study the research objectives and draw conclusions. The data was further analyzed by using both qualitative and quantitative analysis, and also by connecting the data with the existing literature. The study draws appropriate conclusions based on the findings and recommends steps to stakeholders to increase marketability and appear attractive in front of potential employers.