Must-Have Skills For High School Leavers To Thrive

Must-Have Skills For High School Leavers To Thrive At University And The World Of Work

Betsy Tolmer - Director TRIPOD Enterprise Education
www.tripod.edu.au

Presentation skills
Confidently being able present yourself to an employer will establish your value. Employers want to work with people who can confidently communicate what they have to offer and how that will add value to their business. Remember, when you work for someone, you are an extension of their brand. It is equally vital that you are able to present yourself well, and also the company you work for.

Adaptability
The world of work is ever changing so young people need to not only embrace change, but be flexible in their dreams and aspirations. Sometimes to get from A to B, you might have to swing all the way past Z first. Those who can embrace change and adapt their skills from one opportunity to the next will have a huge advantage in the future world of work. Whatever skills you learn in one opportunity or job you will take forward to the next, and use for the rest of your life. Understanding how these skills transfer is the key to success.

Initiative
Fear can be the biggest killer of success. There is nothing wrong with failing, as long as you have given it your best and have taken the initiative to have a go. Employers value initiative, so don't just wait to be told what to do – this could be anything from sweeping the floor to mapping out fresh ideas. Show you are eager to learn and take the extra step to help the business succeed.

Johanna Parker - Life, Confidence, Speaker Coach, Speaker and MC Heart Sparks
www.heartsparks.com.au

Commitment
Many clients tell me that they need more motivation, when in fact, first and foremost, what they need is to tap into a deeper commitment to what they really want. Commitment in the form of continuing to show up when things feel hard and motivation is waning, especially in challenging instances where you are being turned down for jobs or further study. While commitment is often viewed as a quality rather than a skill, from my years as a coach, I am confident that being committed is a skill that can be chosen, increased and learned.

Some ways to build it include:
Asking yourself what you need to show up and then honouring the answer with your investment
Celebrating your achievements - even the small ones ‐ and using them as evidence that you are on the right track
Making time for the things that you know are important to your success
Focusing on the positives and the things that are helpful to your journey
Investing time in checking in with the 'why' behind what you do
Taking things one step at a time when they feel overwhelming
Actively using time management techniques to ensure you do the things you need to within a set timeframe

Setting a personal intention each day that supports you to connect with what you are aiming to achieve and how you want to show up in the world

Communication and networking
In the world of work communication relates to honouring your voice by speaking up so that your contributions can be captured and also being both willing and able to hold great conversations with others. Wonderful communicators, who also have a genuine care about and curiosity in people, quickly build authentic professional and personal networks that they can utilise and contribute to throughout their work journey. They also establish powerful relationships with peers and customers and clients. Outside of relationship building, the more you actively contribute within a role, the more valuable you are likely to feel in the workforce.

Adaptability
Adaptability is especially relevant for school leavers because so much of what it takes to enter and establish yourself in the workforce is dependent on some kind of change from what you have been experiencing during your final years at school: change of location, hours, independence, level of support, focus, the works! All of these changes can be exciting and very freeing, but adaptability will support you to move through them with ease. When your adaptability skill is honed you may also find yourself enjoying work more because you feel more confident in your ability to 'roll with the punches' too.

For more information on Doxa and its programs, visit www.doxa.org.au