Mapúa University champions efforts to address PH ‘soft skills’ gap highlighted by PIDS study

　　Soft skills have become more critical than ever in today’s era of AI (artificial intelligence) and digital transformation.

　　“Technical skills will get you hired, but soft skills will keep you employed and help you rise,”Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma Jr., executive vice president for International Alliances and Cintana partnership director of Mapúa University, declared.

　　A 2024 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) , revealed that Filipino workers often lack essential soft skills such as adaptability,collaboration, and critical thinking. The study emphasized that soft skills, also called Transversal Competencies (TVC)， are becoming increasingly vital in the 21st century workplace. The study calls for equipping educators with tools and resources to effectively integrate TVCs into the curricula and learning activities.

　　To address this gap, Mapúa University—through its E.T. Yuchengco School of Business, School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and School of Medicinecollaboration with Arizona State University (ASU)—empower its students by embedding soft skills development into its academic programs.

　　“The technical skills are the rigors of the program—be it a business program, accountancy, or health science. The technical skills are the things that you actually hone during the years of education.You study the basic foundation of the program so that you can use that in the practice of your profession.Now, soft skills are actually non-technical in nature. Some of the very important soft skills are communication skills, work ethics, time management, critical thinking, flexibility, and adaptability,” Dr. Doma explained.

　　“In summary, the technical skill will actually open new doors to be hired for a particular role. But actually, the one that will maintain the role and the one that will get you promoted and be successful in the profession are the interspersion of the soft skills to the hard technical skills,” he added.

　　The Mapúa University executive underscored the importance of soft skills in the workplace as core competencies to achieve success.

　　“When you practice a profession, you do not practice alone [and you rarely work in isolation]. Especially at this day and age, you need to collaborate with many people and not just with your peers in that profession. For example, you’re a programmer, you should collaborate with other programmersbut you must also communicate the things that you are doing to supervisors, to non-technical people and to the top management. Therefore, it's very important that you have other skills other than the basic hard technical skills. You will never be successful in fulfilling a role if you do not have those soft skills,” Dr. Doma stresse.

　　Among the relevant soft skills needed for employability that Dr. Doma highlighted are communication skills, time management, adaptability, lifelong learning, critical thinking, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.

　　“Communication skills are essential for presenting and selling ideas to decision-makers and to those working across disciplines. On the other hand, time management is vital for prioritizing tasks, especially in high-pressure fields like medical and healthcare. It is very critical. For example, you’re working in an emergency scenario and there are many patients you need to prioritize. You need to have that kind of skill so you can immediately decide which patients to prioritize since you’re only given a specific amount of time to actually solve so many problems at the same time,” he explained.

　　Dr. Doma proceeded to add adaptability, which he considers the most consequential in the era of AI, and lifelong learning as soft skills that could help one stay relevant amid technological disruption. 

　　“The basic tenet of the Darwinian theory is that the most successful species are not the strongest, not the most intelligent but the most adaptable. In the face of things like AI that's actually here now, I think you should be very adaptable, very nimble and very flexible. It’s very important that you have an open mind and study new things that are coming and the changes that are happening around you,” he remarked.

　　He also emphasized the importance of critical thinking so that an individual can make excellent decision-making and problem-solving. In addition, the executive noted how vital teamwork and emotional intelligence are in the workplace for effective collaboration and conflict resolution.

　　Mapúa University has integrated these soft skills into its outcomes-based education framework, ensuring that their students and graduates will demonstrate these competencies through projects, presentations, and global immersion programs.

　　“Before graduation, our students receive feedback on communication, critical thinking, teamwork and more so they can improve,” the executive noted, adding the shift he witnessed as workplaces and the learning environment continue to evolve.

　　“In the ‘60s and ‘70s, Mapúa graduates were very strong technically but lacked soft skills. Now, they can compete globally—not only in technical background but also in soft skills,” Dr. Doma stated.

　　The ASU collaboration complements this by providing microcredentials and global learning opportunities which encourages lifelong learning in their academic environment.

　　“Lifelong learning is no longer optional—it’s a requirement. Our goal is to prepare graduates not just for their first job, but for a future where change is constant. My advice to students is to prioritize technical skills during undergraduate years but actively develop soft skills to stand out and advance in careers,” Dr. Doma concluded.

　　Mapua University’s collaboration with Arizona State Universitythrough the E.T. Yuchengco School of Business, School of Health Sciences, School of Nursing and School of Medicine offer globally competitive programs designed to equip students with both technical proficiency and essential soft skills. To learn more, visit https://www.mapua.edu.ph/pages/about-mapua/partners-and-linkages/in-collaboration-with-asu.

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