Communication skills are a vital part of graduate employability, yet they are not always reflected in your transcript. Employers also value how clearly you communicate, work with others and adapt to different situations.
If you’re deciding what to study after your public examinations, strengthening communication skills is something worth thinking about. The course you enrol into should not only help you build knowledge in your chosen field but to also give you the opportunity to develop the skills you’ll need when you start working.
What Employers Look For
Research on graduate employability often points to a gap between the communication skills employers expect and what some graduates demonstrate.
A study of manufacturing employers found gaps in English communication and thinking skills. A separate study involving students, lecturers and employers found that interpersonal and presentation skills are among the communication skills employers value most in the workplace.
What Does This Mean for You?
Think about situations you might face at work. You could be explaining a project to your manager, presenting an idea to a client or working with colleagues to solve a problem. In each case, you need to communicate clearly, understand different perspectives and adapt your message to your audience.
Communication is also linked to teamwork, problem-solving and leadership. Knowing your subject is important, but you also need to share what you know in a way others can understand.
The good news is that Swinburne Sarawak gives you many opportunities to practice these skills long before you start working.
Why Communication Skills Matter in Every Field
You don’t have to study communication to strengthen your communication skills.
For instance, an engineer needs to explain a design to a client who has no technical background. An accountant needs to make financial information easier for a business owner to understand. An IT graduate needs to explain how a system works to colleagues who may not be familiar with the technology. The same applies to business, science, design and many other fields.
Technical knowledge matters, but so does your ability to explain ideas, share findings and work effectively with others.
This is why communication skills are valuable no matter what course you choose.
How Swinburne Sarawak Helps You Build Communication Skills
At Swinburne Sarawak, you have plenty of opportunities to develop these skills through your studies and practical learning experiences. Here are some examples of how you can put what you learn into practice.
Start in Foundation
Communication skills take practice, so we start our students early.
As a Foundation student, you take Foundation English and, Academic Reading and Writing Skills. These units help you develop the language and academic skills needed for university study.
You can also choose Creative Thinking and Communication Skills as an elective. Through this unit, you learn to generate ideas and present them through writing and oral presentations. The teamwork you engaged in is part of the learning experience too.
These skills give you a starting point for expressing your ideas, contributing to discussions and working with others as you progress to degree-level study.
Learn to Communicate with Data
Data plays a part in many workplace decisions. Reading figures is one thing, but explaining what these figures mean is something else altogether.
So at the degree level, if you study the Bachelor of Media and Communication, you will take Communicating with Data as a core unit.
Through this unit, you learn to interpret and analyze data, then communicate the findings clearly to different audiences. In addition, you practice collecting, framing and presenting information, including working in groups to explain complex ideas to people with different backgrounds.
You don’t have to work in media to find these skills useful. Business reports, research findings and project updates often involve data. Being able to explain what the numbers mean helps others understand the situation and make informed decisions.
Learn on the Job Through Work Integrated Learning
While practising in a classroom is useful, it is applying what you’ve learnt in a workplace that gives you a different experience.
As an undergraduate degree student at Swinburne Sarawak, you can apply for a three-month, full-time Work Integrated Learning Placement Unit (WILPU).
The placement takes place with a professional organisation, corporation or institution. It is offered in Business, Design, Science, and Information and Communication Technology, and counts as two elective units, equivalent to 25 credit points, towards your degree.
During the placement, you gain hands-on experience, complete academic submissions and receive feedback from your host organisation.
More importantly, you experience how communication works in a professional setting. Whether you’re sharing updates, asking questions, responding to feedback or explaining your work, you begin developing the communication habits expected in the workplace.
These experience strengthen workplace communication while supporting graduate employability.
Put Your Skills into Practice Through Industry Projects
Working with industry partners gives you another opportunity to apply what you’ve learnt.
Swinburne Sarawak works with industry partners, which supports capstone projects, industrial placements, internships and the Swinburne Sarawak Industry Immersion Program (SSIIP).
Through these experiences, you can expect to present ideas, explain your approach or discuss solutions with team members and industry partners. As a result, you build communication skills while applying your knowledge in practical settings. Industry projects also help students build practical experience and improve graduate employability.
Start Practising Before You Graduate
Start with the opportunities around you. Take part in class discussions, volunteer to present your group’s work or join a student club. When you receive feedback on a presentation or written assignment, think about what you can improve and apply it the next time.
You will make mistakes along the way. That’s part of learning. That is why we give you ample opportunity to practice, receive feedback and build confidence before you enter the working world.
Because the more you practice explaining your ideas, listening to others and working with different people, the better prepared you’ll be when similar situations arise at work.
Your Next Step?
As you decide what to study after SPM or STPM, look beyond the course title. Consider not only the knowledge you’ll gain, but also the skills you’ll develop, your graduate employability, and the opportunities you’ll have to put these skills into practice.
Your transcript can show employers what you studied and the results you achieved. What it can’t fully show are skills such as communication, teamwork and adaptability. These are developed through the experiences, projects and interactions that take place alongside your studies.
So, ready to build knowledge and communication skills that go beyond the transcript?
If you’re Sarawakian, start by checking whether you qualify for the Free Tertiary Education Scheme (FTES). Terms apply. Then explore Swinburne Sarawak’s Foundation and degree programmes and find the course that fits your interests and future plans. Your transcript will show what you learnt. Let the way you speak, write and work with others show the rest.