Within the framework of REACH project, Al-Quds Open University held a series of soft skills training. Dr. Raed Abu Eid and Dr. Lina Omar supervised the training, which targeted two groups of participants that included (52) graduates, divided into two groups, and consisted of (30) training hours for each group.
It is worth noting that the project aims to improve graduates’ capabilities and skills, reduce the gap between their skills and the labour market’s requirements, and thus reduce unemployment and increase chances of cross-border employability.
The 1st. Session
The 1st. Group on 01/28/2023
The 2nd. Group on 02/12/2023
The meeting included soft skills. Among the skills discussed was creativity and innovation, wherein participants were asked to define the problem, find suitable solutions and select the best alternative before putting the solution into practice.
The 2nd. Session
The 1st. Group on 01/30/2023
The 2nd. Group on 02/14/2023
This meeting dealt with presenting the skill of critical thinking and explaining its steps, and how every information we obtain affects our judgment or decision. The Socratic approach to questioning was also explained, so the first group presented the required activity, which consisted of cases and problems that needed to employ creativity and critical thinking to find appropriate solutions and alternatives.
The 3rd. Session
The 1st. group on 01/02/2023
The 2nd. group on 16/02/2023
The objective of the meeting was to train the students on problem-solving techniques. In this session; the steps for solving problems and how to analyse a problem tree were discussed. The students were divided into groups, and each group presented a problem and identified its causes and roots. The participants then used the brainstorming approach to gather ideas about potential solutions and choosing the best alternative.
The 4th. Session
The 1st. group on 02/04/2023
The 2nd. Group on 02/19/2023
Decision-making techniques were discussed in terms of decision-making steps and the different categories of strategic and tactical decisions. Case studies on various decisions were presented, whether they were made at the individual or corporate levels.
The 5th. Session
The 1st. group on 02/06/2023
The 2nd. group on 21/02/2023
The fifth meeting focused on communication skills, including listening, verbal and nonverbal communication, body language and gestures, and an explanation of cases about this skill and the importance of applying it in reality. The meeting also included explaining freelancing skills in terms of marketing freelancers’ skills and pricing services provided to customers from different countries around the world.
The 6th. Session
The 1st. group on 08/02/2023
The 2nd. group on 23/02/2023
This meeting focused on empathic skills from a variety of perspectives, such as avoiding per-judgment, practicing active listening to problems, properly understanding it, attempting to put oneself in the shoes of the person facing the problem to accurately understand it and identify the advantages of this in terms of psychological and administrative aspects to provide effective solutions. It also explained the difference between empathy and compassion.
