By: Haruna Kuyateh
Smart Technology Consultancy Firm in partnership with Smart Professional Training College in collaboration with International Trade Centre and through Youths Empowerment Project
The organised five days soft skills training for youth employment called SKYE2 currently underway at Njawara Agricultural Training Centre and Gaye Njoro Skill Training Centre in Farafenni and Base in Upper River Region is funded by the European Union.
The training is used to develop the mind-set of youths to effectively contribute in promoting decision making , enhance better management of time, conflicts resolution and by extension improve leadership qualities at all levels to enhance performance at work place.
Training targets 25 youths and field staff of Njawara Agricultural Training Centre and together with the EU funded jobs Skills and Finance (JSF).
Dr. Lamin O Ceesay, lead consultant described the training as a prerequisite for youths in work place to enable them showcase their talents, participate in constructive dialogue or decision making to improve self-development and productivity. He asserted that research has shown that, effective utilisation of soft skills on skills actualization help to enhance better coordination, decision making, respect timely delivery of work and quality and boost confidence building.
He noted that this type of training are fundamental in any work places, noting that it contribute to problem solving, conflict resolution, promote emotional intelligence and critical thinking.
Dr. Ceesay called on youths to be proactive and maximise the skills and knowledge gained to help in the transformation things at their work places. Soft skills are human requirement and can only be seen through modification of behaviour and attitude that can embrace economic development and contribute to creation of jobs.
Demba Janneh, Operation and Business Development Manager at Smart Professional Training College highlighted high level of collaboration between Smart Technology Consultancy Firm in the transfer of most needed skills among the youthful population to help improve positive behaviours at workplace.
He said soft skills help to improve working environment and address inequality of managing workers, citing enhance effective communication skills, time management and planning.
The lead trainer noted that critical thinking on problems solving promote collective decision making to make workplaces advance, the youths that benefit from the training are all been trained by ICT and YEP.
Therefore, the acquisition of soft skills would reinforced and open up more market and retention of works at various levels. The behavioural modification programme concept through acquisition of relevant tools would obviously make a big difference and challenged them to be goodwill Ambassadors.
Siyate Gaye said skills acquired through training and experience to enhance capability and professional lives would help effective applications of hard skills to boost income.
Ousman Njie Front line Extension Worker at Njawara Agricultural Training and Adama A Bah of Toroba Baobab Youths Association of Lower Badibou both hailed the organizer for the introduction of most needed skills to improve performance at community levels.
