A Qualitative Research Study on the Importance of Life Skills on Undergraduate Students’ Personal and Social Competencies

Abstract

Recently, it is more demanding to enter job market since current employers hire staff with some life skills such as leadership, communication skills, time management, problem solving skills, and teamwork. The current study aimed to identify the relationship between life skills program, student's personal efficacy and competencies. Moreover, this study investigated eight students’ perceptions of their personal efficacy after understanding life skills program.  This study employs a qualitative research approach using an in-depth interview and self-reporting of the life skills module. The participants were randomly selected among freshman undergraduate students who have passed the life skill modules at Taylor’s University, Malaysia. This study aimed to identify students’ perceptions, competencies after completing life skills modules. It also elaborates on how life skills considered as a technical requirement for hard skills and employees’ future. The results of thematic analysis indicated that embedding the life-skills program in the university curriculum plays a key role in shaping students' personal and social competencies. This finding has important implications for educators and educational policy makers to integrate students’ life skills into curriculum so as to influence students’ professional and interpersonal skills such as team working, communication, leadership, time management, decision making and problem-solving.