Impact of Soft Skills Training on Employability Readiness among Undergraduate Students

Abstract Preparedness for Work in Today’s Job Market In today’s job market, being "job ready" is a popular buzzword within the academic and business worlds, as well as within the student community itself. Of course, a strong foundation of academic and professional knowledge and skills is necessary, and it is true that employers are increasingly looking to hiring new talent with a range of so-called "soft skills" such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, adaptability, emotional intelligence, and professional common sense. However, there is a noticeable disconnect between what today’s undergraduate student knows and what employers seek. The current research work focuses on the effect of structured soft skill training on the readiness of employability among undergraduate students. A quantitative descriptive research design was adopted for data collection. A total of 150 undergraduate students from engineering, management, and arts streams were chosen for the study using a structured questionnaire. The study analyzes the effect of soft skill training on important parameters of employability, including communication skills, interpersonal skills, confidence, adaptability, teamwork, and interview readiness. The data was analyzed using statistical methods such as percentage analysis, comparison of mean scores, and correlation analysis. Analysis of the results reveals that there is a significant rise in the readiness of employability among the students who have participated in the soft skills training program. Communication skills, confidence, and work behavior have demonstrated the highest level of improvement. The conclusion of this research study is that soft skills training is an important factor that helps to bridge the gap of employability among undergraduate students, and it is recommended that soft skills development programs be included in higher education. Keywords: Soft Skills Training, Employability Readiness, Undergraduate Students, Communication Skills, Higher Education