If you were to ask any final-year university student about how confident they are to enter the workforce, and whether they feel ready for it, chances are you would get lukewarm responses. 

It’s hard to muster up enthusiasm when students feel an undercurrent of uncertainty about whether the 3 to 5 years they spent getting a degree would be sufficient to meet the demands of their chosen career.

One thing that is certain and that has been proven time and again over the past decade or so is that there is a significant mismatch of skills taught at universities and what fresh graduates are required to have when they start working.

According to a 2022 Salesforce report, only 3 in 10 employees have the skills they need for their jobs.

Delving into the report, the statistics get more devastating, taking into account the opinions of SME employers. Over the course of 12 months prior to the report, 82% of them have pinpointed skill deficiencies within their organizations. Employers hold firm that there is a huge disconnect between workflow skills and what employees are bringing to the table.

There’s no sugar-coating this. The statistics by the CRM guru indicate that we’re in the midst of a skills crisis. Further dismissing the notion that the younger generation is more tech-savvy and hence has skills for the workplace, the survey also showed that only 31% of them possess comprehensive business digital skills despite 61% having social media mastery.

Mentorship that Bridges the Gap without Spoon-Feeding

It’s clear that fresh graduates and new employees need to pick up both hard and soft skills. But in order to learn, you need a teacher or a mentor. With theoretical mastery not always translating into practical abilities, Penclusive steps in to provide that crucial mentorship link that connects the inexperienced with the experienced. This way, newbies or aspiring professionals can tap into insider knowledge and practical expertise amassed from years of actual work.

These industry professionals are experts in their fields. They good amount of professional work and success under their belt. In the real world, they are aware of the minute details that often mean the difference between success and failure on a job. These mentors pass on their wisdom and know-how, allowing the nurturing of students with the right set of hard and soft skills.

Crucially, Penclusive is not about spoon-feeding the learning process as this can curtail a student’s ability to grow. By ensuring an active-learner strategy, with students still doing the heavy lifting with their learning, elevates creativity, critical thinking, engagement, and the motivation to keep on discovering and improving.

Unlocking Workplace Readiness Through Diversity

Diversity is the spice of life. The same holds true when it comes to learning and career development. Different people offer different strengths. Someone may be good at something but no one is an expert at everything. Variety provides the opportunity for students to tap into the benefits of the whole, via different perspectives, expertise, knowledge, and strategies.

Penclusive recognizes the power of diverse mentorship experiences. As such, we go all out to ensure that mentees – that being new professionals as well as students- learn not just from one source but can gain from a buffet of industry wisdom.

Because of our multi-pronged approach to mentorship and workplace readiness, our members enjoy the benefits of learning from multiple mentors such as:

• Access to new growth opportunities
• Improvement across all areas or career aspects
• Faster progression due to more feedback and knowledge
• Constant access to support when necessary

Penclusive believes that the average professional or student needs to have between 3 to 5 mentors to be successful. The more, the merrier.

Having such a broad network allows you to triangulate advice and map the best course for your career. Besides diversity of thought, having more than one mentor allows you to match up with those you’re likely to have the best chemistry with. Therefore, this guarantees long-term relationships that in turn lead to perpetual growth and success.

The Power of a Community

Teamwork is the force that drives success. Penclusive wants to leverage the power of the community to nurture soft and hard skills in learners and ensure that they reach their full potential. Our platform aims to create a haven where new professionals and students can feel that they have a safe space to learn and belong. This sense of camaraderie provides huge motivation for students to attain their goals, push their boundaries, and explore new ideas that they may not have been as confident to pursue on their own.

The diversity that comes with a community offers a melting pot where different experiences and abilities can merge, thus enriching the overall experience. Over time, through the Penclusive community, learners will be able to cultivate a culture of self-driven learning with an aptitude for essential skills and knowledge.

Practice Makes Perfect

The future of work hovers over most industries. At Penclusive, we have made it our life’s mission to figure out the most in-demand niche skills and ensure that learners gain the skills that align with this future through a curated selection of industry experts. We keep students ahead of the curve, helping them acquire niche skills that lead to:

• Higher pay
• Job satisfaction
• Entrepreneurship
• More Fulfilling lives

With Penclusive in your corner, you don’t have to learn on the job. You can hit the ground running and contribute value to any workflow you join right off the bat. Our platform equips learners with essential skills that position them for well-rounded success from the get-go.

Penclusive acts as a bridge, between the realm and the practical requirements of the workforce. It’s worth noting that we are just starting out the platform in the landscape of career development. Nevertheless our commitment to nurturing talent promoting diversity and ensuring workplace preparedness remains steadfast. We firmly believe that by connecting learners with a community of mentors we can assist individuals, in thriving in their professional journeys. Our ultimate aim is to empower learners with the skills to make an impact in their chosen fields. As we continue to expand we extend an invitation for you to join us on this adventure where we redefine the future of work—one learner at a time.