Career Planning Guide

2014-2015 AIMS Career Planning Guide
Employability and Innovation Skills

Table of Contents
Introduction
What is meant by employability skills?..............................................................
Why is employability important?..........................................................................
What are the main types of skills that a person develops over a lifetime?.............. 2
Technical Skills.. 3
Personal (Self-management) Skills. 3
Transferable Skills. 4
The Next Step: Complete the Employability Skills Checklist.. 4
Adding Up and Assessing Your Score 11
Results of Employer Surveys: What Are the Skills Employers Want?.......................
11
SAGRA Survey..
11
Results of NACE Survey.
12
Results of Institute of Directors Survey in the UK 13

Employability Skills 2000+ Developed by the Conference Board of Canada.
15
Summary: The Main Employability Skills that Employers Want.
18
What Are Hard and Soft Skills?..................................................................................
19
Emphasize both Hard and Soft Skills
20
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills Which is more important?.....................................
20
Innovation Skills.. 21
Introduction 21
The Need for Innovation Skills.. 23
Innovation Skills Profile.
24
African Innovations..
25
1. Raspberry Pi.
25
2. Kenya on the Innovation Upswing: Geothermal Energy..
25
3. Innovation Africa Highlights 2013. 26

4. The Solar Park in Freetown: Renewable Energy Innovation.. 27
5. The Development of Ubuntu, the Pioneering Computer Operating
System ..
28
6. IDRC Forum - Opportunity calls: Booming innovation in Africa..
29
7. From Kenya to Madagascar: The African Tech-Hub Boom.
30
Employability and Innovation Skills

Introduction:
This unit of the Career Planning Guide will introduce you to employability skills and the
importance of acquiring these skills to help you in your future career and to find employment in
a competitive job market. Many examples of the employability skills most valued by employers
will be presented for you to study as well as examples of soft and hard skills commonly
mentioned by employers in todays marketplace. This section of the Guide will also include an
introduction to the concept of innovation skills and how employees can contribute to an
organizations innovation performance using their innovation skills such as creativity, problemsolving, and inventiveness. Examples of African innovations are also presented in this section.
What is meant by employability skills?

There are many definitions for employability skills but basically they are the skills that your need
to enter, stay in, and progress in the workplacewhether you are self-employed or working for
others. Stated simply, they are the workplace skills and personal attributes that you need to
gain employment and be successful in todays job market. Source: Employability Skills 2000+,
Conference Board of Canada
Other definitions provided by the Careers and Employability Service at the University of Kent,
UK, are as follows:
What is employability? Employability has been defined as the capability of getting work and
keeping satisfactory work.
What are employability skills? Employability skills have been defined as:
"A set of achievements, understandings and personal attributes that make individuals more
likely to gain employment and to be successful in their chosen occupations". Peter Knight & Mantz
Yorke (HEFCE/DfES ESECT group)
A set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to
ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace to the benefit of
themselves, their employer and the wider economy. CBI (Confederation of British Industry)
Employability skills are often referred to as transferable skills (because skills developed in one
area of your life can be transferred to other areas) or personal skills. In the next page, we will
explore the different kinds of skills and how we can identify and also develop them including
transferable and personal skills.
Other factors that help to make people employable include:
knowledge and abilities relating to a particular job;

the ability to identify suitable job opportunities;
self-presentation (on application and during job interviews)
external factors such as the job market, personal circumstances, and knowing someone
who can refer you to an employer and help you land the job
Source: Careers and Employability Service, University of Kent
AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills
Page 1 of 33
Why is employability important?

Employability is not the same as subject knowledge, qualifications or specialist experience. A
brilliant first degree, a PhD and a list of published papers on your CV may not be enough to
secure a position. You have to be aware of what employers are looking for in any
employee. And you have to demonstrate that you are employable as a person, a team member
and as a contributing member of the employer organisation.
Often, the problem is not that jobseekers dont have employability skills and capabilities, but
with so much emphasis on qualifications, particularly in the academic world, job
seekers/applicants often take them for granted, overlook them, or dismiss them as being
irrelevant to the employer. Therefore, as a job applicant, you need to identify them in your
application and CV. This is the first chance to show your written communication and
presentation skills. The personal statement at the beginning of your CV is also about
employability. This needs to reflect the personal strengths and transferable skills appropriate to
the position you are applying forproblem solving, analytical thinking, initiative, flexibility, cooperation, willingness to learn, etc. During the job interview, you need to conduct yourself in
such a way that gives the interviewer an idea of your transferable skills such as enthusiasm,
positive attitude, good team player, taking responsibility, honesty and integrity, etc.
In a recent survey on employability conducted by the Institute of Directors in the UK, directors
who employed recent graduates were asked to rate the importance of employability skills
against specific technical or academic knowledge and skills associated with their degree:
Surprisingly, when recruiting, 64% of directors said recent graduates employability skills
were more important to their organisation as an employer than the specific occupational,
technical or academic knowledge/skills associated with the graduates degree. More details
about this survey are mentioned under Results of Institute of Directors Survey
Source: Employability: What are Employers Looking For? By Melanie Allen, jobs.ac.uk; 2012
In conclusion, a degree is not enough to secure a suitable position in the job market and be
successful in your career. It may unlock doors for you and make you eligible to apply for jobs
that specify must be a graduate in ____, but you will also be competing with other graduates
with the same degree. To gain an edge, you need to possess good transferable and personal
skills (employability skills such as communication, team work, leadership, initiative, problemsolving, flexibility, and enthusiasm) that will make you attractive to an employer and land you
the desired position.
What are the main types of skills that a person develops over a lifetime?
Before exploring employability skills in more detail, it is useful first to gain a basic understanding
of the different types of skills a person develops over a lifetime. First of all, what is a skill? A
skill is a learned ability to do something well. Experts in the field maintain every person has up
to 700 different skills in their repertoire. Yet, most of us would have difficulty coming up with
more than a dozen skills that we would be able to tell anybody about.
It is generally agreed that there are three types of skills: technical, transferable, and personal.
Your task is to identify your particular skill set, the full range of technical, transferable, and
personal skills that you possess and which you can use to find a suitable job and identify a
future career. In the next step, you need to identify your transferable skills and personal
qualities in your CV, job application letter, and during the job interview. Understanding what
skills you possess and make you employable are critical to landing a rewarding job.
A summary of these main types of skills is presented below.
Page 2 of 33
1. Technical Skills
2. Personal (SelfManagement)
Skills
Technical skills are the specific technical abilities and

technical areas of knowledge we need in order to perform a
particular job. Technical skills are work specific. The lab
technicians ability to conduct blood analyses, the surgeons
proficient use of surgical tools and knowledge of procedures,
the mechanics specialized knowledge of Volkswagen engine
parts and their repair, the artists ability to mix colours to
create a palette, and the ability of a data scientist to apply
statistical or data mining techniques to solve real problems for
the organization, are all examples of technical skills.
Technical skills are usually learned through some form of
training and education in classrooms, labs, workshops, or on
the job and through observation and practice. The credits and
diplomas and degrees that we receive for various types of
education and training certify that we have a certain level of
knowledge and skill in a given field of learning.
Technical skills may be unique to a particular job, company, or
industry and must be updated or changed as jobs change, and
as new procedures, technologies or processes are introduced
on the job site.
As an example, the technical skills required for the advertised
position of Data Scientist/Programmer included:
o Complex data management (including relational,
NoSQL, structured: semi-structured and unstructured
data)
o Develop scripts/data processing chains to clean,
analyse and/or reformat a wide range of data sets)
o Develop visualizations (static and dynamic) of data to
provide insight to customers
o Ability to conceptualize data-drive solutions to client
needs
Personal (sometimes called self-management) skills are part
of our personalities, acquired early in life, and developed as
we mature from childhood to adulthood. These skills are
transferable because they go where we go. They are really
part of our attitude, our personal style, and our approach to
lifes circumstances. They describe what you are like as a
person and how you do things. They include your attitudes,
personality, and work habits.
As personal skills relate to work, they allow us to cope with
and manage our work environments and be effective on the
job.
Personal skills are certainly some of the most important
employability skills requested and desired by employers.
Personal skills desired by employers are:
Dependability
Punctuality
Pride in performance
Responsible
Initiative
Loyalty
Integrity
Getting along with others
Enthusiasm
Responding well to pressure
Flexibility & adaptability
Tactfulness
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3. Transferable
Skills
Good grooming
Self-confidence
Highly motivated
Positive attitude
Health and lifestyle-related skills
At first glance, you might think that these skills are universal
and obvious to everyone. But, not everyone is endowed with
them and, unlike technical skills, employers rarely include
personal skills as part of a companys training program. As
one employer put it, We cant teach personality.
The person who is well-endowed with many of these personal
skills has a decided edge over those who arent. You may not
get hired on the basis of your personal skills alone but, with
everything else being equal, they can become the deciding
factor for being hired.
They also go a long way in getting you recognized,
appreciated, and promoted within the company/organization.
Its a routine comment among employers that workers do not
get fired because they lack technical skills; they get fired
because they lack personal skills.
Transferable skills are essential skills that can be transferred
from one employer to another, one type of job to another, one
occupation to another, and one industry to another. They are
those skills developed through many everyday experiences
including paid employment, school, university, homemaking,
recreation, community activities, and volunteer work.
There are hundreds of transferable skills that people develop
over the years but, because they dont come attached with a
job title or educational credential, we often dont place much
value on them. Often we dont even know that we have them.
Some of the more common types of transferable skills include:
o Communication skills
o Working with people (social) skills/interpersonal skills
o Physical skills
o Working with machines or tools skills (manual &
mechanical skills)
o Sensory skills
o Leadership skills
o Working with details skills
o Creative skills
o Working with difficult situations skills
o Working with numbers skills
o Reasoning (analytical) skills
o Knowledge skills (ability to find/access needed information
and use information in decision making and problem
solving)
o Computer literacy/IT skills
o Organizational skills
o Time management skills
Source: Skills are your Passport, Alberta Career Development
and Employment
The Next Step: Complete the Employability Skills Checklist

To help you identify your transferable and personal skills, go through the following Employability
Skills Checklist and select those that you feel you already have and those that you would like to
Page 4 of 33
improve upon or acquire in the future. Keep in mind that employability or transferable skills are
vital in every kind of work. They are, in fact, the skills that everyone needs to do almost any job.
Employability Skills Checklist
Employability Skills
Check off the appropriate box below ()

I have
I would like I would like to
this skill to improve
acquire in future
Transferable Skills
A
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
B
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Communication Skills
Readinggetting information from written
materials; following written instructions
Writingable to express yourself or explain
things clearly in writing,
Writing--being able to condense
information/produce concise summary notes
Speakingexpressing your ideas clearly and
confidently in speech
Speaking (in pubic)Delivering a speech in front
of an audience
Listeninglistening carefully to what others are
saying and responding appropriately
Questioningasking the right questions to get
useful information from others or help them gain
insight
Explainingbeing careful and clear about what
you are telling people about things, so that they
can understand you quickly and easily
Resolving conflictsbringing a conflict to a
successful conclusion
Persuadingconvincing others to do what you
want or buy your product or service
Being tactfulusing tack and diplomacy to
persuade others to agree on something
Negotiatingbargaining with others to solve a
problem or reach an agreement
Teachinginstructing others
Chairing meetingspresiding over a group of
people who come together for a purpose;
listening, speaking, encouraging discussion,
following an agenda, and keeping on time
Organizational Skills
Schedulingsetting up time schedules and
keeping track of them
Coordinating and organizing people and activities
in an orderly manner
Identifying tasks to be accomplished
Pulling elements together in an orderly,
functional, and structured whole
Facilitating group discussions or brainstorming
activities
Prioritizing tasks; getting most important work
done first
Organizing your work sitekeeping your work
area neat and clean; taking care of tools,
materials, and equipment
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#
C
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
D
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
E
38.
39.
40.

I have
acquire in future
Creative and Innovative Skills

Creating/inventingcoming up with new ideas,
innovations, or ways of doing things
Designing/displayingdealing creatively with
spaces, products, objects, colours or images
Improvising/experimenting/adaptingmaking
changes or modifications to get the job done;
finding new, innovative, and creative ways to
accomplish tasks
Performing/entertainingusing your talents to
hold the attention of an audience, either in a live
performance or on camera
Drawing/sculpting/paintingconveying feelings
or thoughts through works of art in a variety of
media
Writing/playwriting/composingcreating original
material to entertain, educate, or amuse people
Interpersonal Skills
Getting alongdemonstrating respect and caring
about the feelings of others; being considerate
Using tactdisplaying discretion and diplomacy,
particularly in dealing with sensitive issues
Supportinghelping others with their problems;
supporting others decisions and initiatives
Accepting authoritybeing able to work under
supervision
Advising/counselinghelping others cope with
their personal, emotional, educational and work
concerns by providing information and helping
them deal with their concerns
Respecting differencesappreciating diversity;
accepting the uniqueness of individuals
Teamwork/working on a teamcooperating with
and supporting others on a team to accomplish a
common goal; completing your team
responsibilities on time, giving criticism/feedback
to group/team members in a helpful way
Accepting feedbackaccepting feedback without
getting defensive
Advocatingadvocating on behalf of someone or
a group, encouraging and empowering people to
accomplish something
Stating opinions/being assertivehaving the
confidence and assertiveness to state your
views, give your ideas, etc.
Leadership Skills
Making decisionschoosing a course of action
and accepting responsibility for the
consequences
Directing/supervisingoverseeing or managing
the work of others, motivating others, and
accepting responsibility for their performance
Initiatingtaking the first step; getting things
started
Page 6 of 33
#
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
F
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
G
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
H
62.
63.

I have
acquire in future
Confrontingtelling others things that they may

not want to hear about their behaviours, habits,
etc.
Interviewingquestioning people to gather
information
Planningdeveloping projects or ideas through
systematic preparation, and deciding in which
order and at what time events will occur
Organizingcoordinating the people and
resources necessary to put a plan into effect
Coachingproviding one-on-one or small group
assistance to help others achieve a goal
Giving feedbackproviding individuals with
accurate descriptions of their work, behaviour,
appearance, etc.
Research, Analytical, and Problem-Solving
Skills
Problem solvingidentifying a problem,
determining the root causes of the problem,
generating alternative solutions to a problem,
and selecting most effective solution
Differentiating between practical and impractical
solutions to a problem
Helping a group to identify solutions to a problem
Investigating/researchingcollecting, collating,
classifying, and summarizing data systematically
to establish facts and principles
Analyzingbreaking a problem into its parts so
that each part can be examined
Analyzing the interrelationships of events and
ideas from several perspectives
Understanding and making logical arguments;
recognizing inconsistencies in reasoning
Synthesizingputting facts and ideas together in
new and creative ways; finding new ways to look
at problems or do things
Assessingaccurately estimating or evaluating
the nature of a situation or an issue
Computer Skills
Identifying and using appropriate software (word
processing, databases, spreadsheets)
Identifying, analyzing, and solving hardware or
technical difficulties
Teaching others to use computer programs
Understanding and using different application
programs
Using HTML and other web design tools
Understanding and using different operating
systems like UNIX and Windows
Mathematical Skills
Using numerical reasoningunderstanding how
to work with numbers or statistics; knowing how
to read data and interpret statistics
Budgetingplanning how you will spend money;
Page 7 of 33
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
I
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
J
78.
79.
80.
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.

I have
acquire in future
deciding what to buy and how much to spend or

how to get the work done at the lowest cost
Estimatingjudging the cost or size of things;
predicting the outcome of an arithmetic problem
before it is calculated
Measuringusing tools or equipment to
determine length, angle, volume or weight
Calculatingusing basic arithmetic: adding,
subtracting, multiplying, and dividing
Understanding and managing financial plans;
understanding and controlling operating
expenses
Creating formulas, formulating equations or
algorithms
Using precise data-entry techniques; analyzing
data
Recognizing abnormalities or mistakes in data
Mechanical and Tool Skills
Operating equipmentusing a variety of tools
(such as hand/power tools), machines and
communication devices
Maintaining equipmentconducting routine
maintenance and adjusting equipment to ensure
it is working properly
Constructingusing a variety of tools and
resources to assemble/build/install something
Troubleshootingassessing and identifying
malfunctions; diagnosing problems; making
necessary repairs
Measuringusing devices to ensure that the
exact size or capacity is achieved according to
defined standards
Able to understand and follow operating manuals
and technical diagrams
Able to draft and prepare technical drawings
(mechanical, electrical, etc.)
Developing Professionalism
Responsibleaccepting responsibility for your
views and actions
Self-directedshowing the ability to work under
your own direction and initiative
Good judgementmaking informed and good
decisions/choices based on your own judgement
Resilientovercoming challenges and setbacks,
persevering and working well under stress to
complete tasks
Quality workpaying care and attention to
quality in all your work; producing high quality
results
Continuous learnertaking the opportunity to
learn new skills
Enthusiasticdeveloping the drive and
enthusiasm to achieve results for an organization
Professional--representing an organization
Page 8 of 33
86.
87.
88.

I have
acquire in future
through appropriate dress, language, behaviour,

and business ethics
Respectfultreating co-workers, superiors,
assistants, and customers with respect
Compromiser--working toward compromise in
situations of disagreement or dispute
Loyalshowing loyalty to an organization
Personal Management Skills

K
89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
L
96.
97.
98.
99.
100.
101.
M
102.
103.
104.
105.
106.
107.
Flexibility and Adaptability

Able to adapt successfully to changing situations
and environments
Keeping calm in the face of difficulties
Planning ahead, but having alternative options in
case things go wrong
Thinking quickly to respond to sudden changes
in circumstances
Adapting quickly to new ideas and concepts
Flexibleable to change gears when required to
take on more tasks (able to multitask when
required)
Able to adapt to new working hours or work
location
Time Management Skills
Prioritizingassessing activities and prioritizing
work (doing what is important first); setting
realistic goals
Schedulingpredicting how much time things
will take; setting time frames for activities
Recordingusing planners, computer-based and
paper calendars, and appointment books to keep
track of activities
Assessingreviewing how much time has been
used and making changes that will increase
efficiency
Adjustingrevising your schedule to
accommodate changes and unexpected events
Being timelycompleting work on time/meeting
project deadlines; arriving at class, meetings,
appointments on time; responding to
correspondence, messages, etc. in a reasonable
amount of time
Money Management
Setting goalsdeciding how you want to
manage your money (e.g., paying off credit cards
at the end of each month)
Knowing your financial resourcesknowing your
financial assets and debts
Knowing monthly income and expenses
including the basics, small purchases, and larger
long-term purchases
Planningdeveloping a budget tailored to your
life and work situation
Implementingfollowing your budget
Adjustingmaking changes to your budget if
Page 9 of 33

I have
acquire in future
required
108. Anticipatingpredicting possible future needs
(e.g., low income some months, possible
emergencies, special family needs) and
saving/investing money accordingly
N
Self-as-Business Skills
109. Assessing qualitydetermining the merit or
worth of work you are performing;
110. Adaptingadjusting to life/work changes and
being prepared for the unexpected
111. Risk takingtaking chances based on your
assessment of the situation; making decisions
and taking action when you are not sure what will
be the outcome
112. Learningusing a variety of methods and
techniques to acquire needed skills, knowledge,
and attitudes
113. Building relationshipsdeveloping and
participating in a variety of associations with
others, inside and outside the workplace
114. Collaboratingcooperating with others inside
and outside the workplace to achieve shared
outcomes
115. Visioningimagining or forming a mental image
of something and determining the steps required
to move toward it
116. Personal marketingpresenting your assets in
ways that will enhance your work and/or ability to
obtain work; developing your personal brand to
market to employers
117. Tracking trendsusing a number of information
sources to follow changes that will affect your
life/work
O
Health, Religion, and Lifestyle Considerations
118. Managing stressknowing the causes of
personal stress and coping with demands and
pressures in your life
119. Exercisingbeing physically active on a regular
basis
120. Maintaining a proper dieteating nutritional and
healthy food and drinking lots of water
121. Balancingbalancing the amount of time you
spend on all the roles in your life (e.g., work,
leisure, parenting)
122. Balancingbalancing the time for religious
practices and duties with other responsibilities in
your life
123. Relaxingspending at least 20 minutes each
day relaxing, deep breathing, meditating, etc.
124. Managing addictionsadmitting to any
addictions you have and getting help or
treatment
Adding Up and Assessing Your Score

Page 10 of 33
Skills that you already

possess
Total Number % of total
Skills that you would like to

improve upon
Skills that you would like to

acquire in the future
The next step:

List five skills that you would most want to improve upon or acquire in the future in the table
below. These are the skills that you should continue to develop and practice to improve your
employability.
1
2
3
4
5
Results of Employer Surveys: What Are the Skills Employers Want?
1.
SAGRA Survey
The South African Graduate Recruiters Association (SAGRA) surveyed 80 employers of
university graduates to determine those skills that were most important to them (2013 survey).
The results of the survey are displayed below in the following chart.
% of employers who said that these skills and attributes were very or quite important for job
applicants
Very Important Skills of Applicants

Foreign language
IT/Computer literacy
Networking
Business acumen
Self promotion
Leadership
Customer orientation
Numeracy
Planning action
Flexibility
Self awareness
Oral Communications
Interpersonal Skills
Proactivity
Commitment
Team working
Problem solving
Willingness to learn
6%
31%
33%
34%
36%
39%
50%
53%
53%
60%
64%
66%
74%
80%
80%
81%
83%
84%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Page 11 of 33
The top 10 skills were, in order of descending importance:

1. Willingness to learn (84%)
2. Problem solving skills (83%)
3. Team working skills (81%)
4. Commitment (80%)
5. Proactivity (80%)
6. Interpersonal Skills (74%)
7. Oral Communications (66%)
8. Self-Awareness (64%)
9. Flexibility (60%)
10. Planning action (53%)
Conclusion: Employability skills are considered very important by South African employers
looking to hire university graduates. Although it is useful for you to know the employability skills
employers are seeking, you also need to be applying and practising them all the time to gain
the desired job and be successful in your chosen occupation.
2.
Results of NACE Survey
In 2013, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) in the USA conducted a
survey of 210 employers of college/university graduates to determine the candidate skills and
qualities that employers want.
The main results of this survey are summarized below.
When it comes to the importance of candidate skills and qualities, employers are looking for team
players who can solve problems, organize their work, and communicate effectively, according to results
of a new survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Employers are seeking evidence of the soft skills needed to succeed in the workplace in the college
students theyre recruiting, says Marilyn Mackes, NACEs executive director.
Employers responding to NACEs Job Outlook 2014 survey rated
ability to work in a team structure,
ability to make decisions and solve problems,
ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work, and
ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization as the most
important candidate skills/qualities. (See Figure 1 below.)
These are followed by candidates ability to obtain and process information and ability to
analyze quantitative data.
Page 12 of 33
About NACE: Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source
of information about the employment of college graduates. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE
maintains a virtual press room for the media at http://www.naceweb.org/press-releases.aspx.
Note: Technical skills and knowledge are certainly needed to apply for jobs in industry and the
public sector. However, as reported in the NACE survey above, Technical knowledge
related to the job was the 7th most important skill/quality rated by employers. This
fact emphasizes the need for you to also develop and improve those employability
skills rated very highly by employers if you wish to gain a competitive edge.
3.
Results of Institute of Directors Survey in the UK
In 2007, the Institute of Directors in the UK commissioned a survey to obtain the opinion of 500
directors of various companies and organizations. The survey sought to identify which
additional skills and qualities are particularly valued in graduate employees, and how
prevalent they are in recent graduate recruits. It also sought members views on the
preparedness for employment of young people generally. The results are presented below.
For the purposes of the survey employability skills was taken to mean the skills, attributes
and abilities other than technical competence that make an employee an asset to their
employer.
Page 13 of 33
The Results
The employability skills employers look for in graduates
When recruiting, 64% of directors said recent graduates employability skills were more
important to their organisation as an employer than the specific occupational, technical
or academic knowledge/skills associated with the graduates degree.
Note: This is an important result to take notice of and shows the importance of acquiring
essential employability skills. You cant rely on your degree alone to automatically open
doors as you graduate.
The survey invited views on the desirability of 28 different employability skills,
incorporating basic skills, general employment skills, people and social skills, and
personal qualities and skills. The top ten skills and qualities IoD members rated as
being most important for recent graduates to possess were, as follows:
1. Honesty and integrity;
2. Basic literacy skills;
3. Basic oral communication skills (e.g. telephone skills);
4. Reliability;
5. Being hardworking and having a good work ethic;
6. Numeracy skills;
7. A positive, can do attitude;
8. Punctuality;
9. The ability to meet deadlines; and
10. Team working and co-operation skills.
The top ten skills

& qualities rated
most important
Although these were the top ten, almost all of the 28 skills listed were rated by more
than 70% of directors as being quite important or very important for recent graduates
to possess.
The next top 10 skills rated by the Directors were:

11. Etiquette and good manners
12. Willingness to take on responsibility
13. Problem solving skills
14. Attention to detail
15. Adaptability and flexibility
16. ICT skills
17. Self confidence
18. The ability to work independently
19. Creative and innovative thinking skills
20. Advanced oral communication skills (e.g., presentations)
The complete report on the survey can be obtained at this site:
http://www.iod.com/influencing/policy-papers/education-and-skills/graduates-employability-skills
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Employability Skills 2000+ Developed by the Conference Board of Canada

In 2000, the Conference Board of Canada developed an Employability Skills 2000+ profile of
the employability skills, attitudes, and behaviours that one needs to participate and progress in
todays dynamic world of work. This profile has been widely used in Canada by both employers
and by post-secondary training institutions and has proven to be an excellent guide for both
graduates and employers hiring new applicants.
According to the Conference Board, employability skills are the skills that you need to enter,
stay in, and progress in the world of workwhether you work on your own or as part of a team.
The Employability 2000+ Profile is described below.
Fundamental Skills
The skills needed as a basis for further development
You will be better prepared to progress in the world of work when you can:
COMMUNICATE
Read and understand information presented in a variety of forms (e.g., words, graphs, charts,
diagrams)
Write and speak so others pay attention and understand
Listen and ask questions to understand and appreciate the points of view of others
Share information using a range of information and communications technologies (e.g., voice, email, computers)
Use relevant scientific, technological, and mathematical knowledge and skills to explain or clarify
ideas
MANAGE INFORMATION
locate, gather, and organize information using appropriate technology and information systems
access, analyze, and apply knowledge and skills from various disciplines (e.g., the arts, languages,
science, technology, mathematics, social sciences, and the humanities)
USE NUMBERS
decide what needs to be measured or calculated

observe and record data using appropriate methods, tools, and technology
make estimates and verify calculations
THINK AND SOLVE PROBLEMS
assess situations and identify problems
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seek different points of view and evaluate them based on facts

recognize the human, interpersonal, technical, scientific, and mathematical dimensions of a problem
identify the root cause of a problem
be creative and innovative in exploring possible solutions
readily use science, technology, and mathematics as ways to think, gain, and share knowledge, solve
problems, and make decisions
evaluate solutions to make recommendations or decisions
implement solutions
check to see if a solution works, and act on opportunities for improvement
Personal Management Skills

The personal skills, attitudes, and behaviours that drive ones potential
for growth
You will be able to offer yourself greater possibilities for achievement when you can:
DEMONSTRATE POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND

BEHAVIOURS
feel good about yourself and be confident

deal with people, problems, and situations with honesty, integrity, and personal ethics
recognize your own and other peoples good efforts
take care of your personal health
show interest, initiative, and effort
BE RESPONSIBLE
set goals and priorities balancing work and personal life

plan and manage time, money, and other resources to achieve goals
assess, weigh, and manage risk
be accountable for your actions and the actions of your group
be socially responsible and contribute to your community
BE ADAPTABLE
work independently or as part of a team

carry out multiple tasks or projects
be innovative and resourceful: identify and suggest alternative ways to achieve goals and get the job
done
be open and respond constructively to change
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learn from your mistakes and accept feedback

cope with uncertainty
LEARN CONTINUOUSLY
be willing to continuously learn and grow

assess personal strengths and areas for development
set your own learning goals
identify and access learning sources and opportunities
plan for and achieve your learning goals
WORK SAFELY
be aware of personal and group health and safety practices and procedures, and act in accordance
with them
Teamwork Skills
The skills and attributes needed to contribute productively
You will be better prepared to add value to the outcomes of a task, project, or team when you
can:
WORK WITH OTHERS

understand and work within the dynamics of a group
ensure that a teams purpose and objectives are clear
be flexible: respect, and be open to and supportive of the thoughts, opinions, and contributions of
others in a group
recognize and respect peoples diversity, individual differences, and perspectives
accept and provide feedback in a constructive and considerate manner
contribute to a team by sharing information and expertise
lead or support when appropriate, motivating a group for high performance
understand the role of conflict in a group to reach solutions
manage and resolve conflict when appropriate
PARTICIPATE IN PROJECTS AND TASKS
plan, design, or carry out a project or task from start to finish with well-defined objectives and
outcomes
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develop a plan, seek feedback, test, revise, and implement

work to agreed-upon quality standards and specifications
select and use appropriate tools and technology for a task or project
adapt to changing requirements and information
continuously monitor the success of a project or task and identify ways to improve
The Employability 2000+ profile can be accessed at this site:

http://www.conferenceboard.ca/topics/education/learning-tools/employability-skills.aspx
Summary: The Main Employability Skills that Employers Want

Written Communication
Ability to express yourself clearly in writing, to create and/or

edit written reports
Verbal Communication
Ability to express your ideas clearly and confidently in speech; to

verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the
organization
Flexibility & Adaptability
Ability to adapt successfully to changing situations and

environments, to being open to new ideas and concepts
Persuading
Ability to convince others, to sell others on your ideas, to influence

others and reach agreement
Teamwork
Ability to work well with others in a team structure to achieve a

common goal, to cooperate with and support others within a
group/team
Positive Attitude
A can do attitude, good work ethic, and willingness to learn
Leadership
Ability to motivate and direct others, to take the initiative, to make

decisions and see them through
Planning and Organizing
Ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work; to set objectives that

are achievable, to plan activities and meet deadlines, to
Analysing & Problem Solving
Ability to think creatively and critically to solve problems and explore

possible solutions; to assess situations and identify problems; to
analyze statistical data; to collect, analyze, and summarize data
Numeracy
Able to carry out arithmetic operations, read and interpret graphs

and tables, use statistics, prepare and manage a budget
Computer Literacy
Able to use word processing software, databases, spreadsheets,

internet and email; design web pages, and do programming
Developing Professionalism
Able to do productive work with positive work ethic; show

enthusiasm; take on responsibility; show commitment; be reliable,
punctual, and loyal; and demonstrate honesty and integrity
Diversity Sensitivity
Ability to build rapport with others in a multicultural environment
Independent
Able to work independently and under your own initiative
Resilient
Able to accept feedback without getting defensive; to stick with the

work and overcome challenges and setbacks, to work under stress
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What Are Hard and Soft Skills?

Employers today often use the terms soft and hard skills. When an individual applies for a job
with a company or organization, the employer will look for applicants with two skill
sets: hard and soft skills. Hard skills are teachable abilities or skill sets that are easy to quantify.
Hard skills are the same as technical skills that were discussed earlier in this module. They
include the specific technical knowledge and abilities required to perform a particular job.
Examples of hard skills include:
Operating a machine
Mining a large data set
Developing a mathematical model to analyze data
Write a computer program
Prepare a financial statement
Use a software program such as Excel or Access
Erect concrete forms and scaffolding (construction worker).
Record patients' medical information and vital signs.(nurse)
What are soft skills?
In contrast, soft skills are not tangible and sometime called employability skills. Employability
skills are those transferable and personal skills that were explained in great detail in the
previous section. Soft skills are also known as "people skills" or "interpersonal skills; soft skills
relate to the way you relate to and interact with other people.
Further, soft skills are personal attributes that enhance an individual's interactions, job
performance and career prospects. Unlike hard skills, which are about a person's skill set and
ability to perform a certain type of task or activity, soft skills relate to a person's ability to interact
effectively with coworkers and customers and are broadly applicable both in and outside the
workplace.
Examples of soft skills include:
Communication
Problem solving
Positive attitudes and behaviours
Adaptability
Working with others/teamwork
Creative thinking
Leadership
Persuading, selling, and negotiation skills
Patience
Time management
Good work ethic
Reliable, responsible, and committed
Note: Both hard skills and soft skills should be listed in your cover letter and your
CV/rsum and are easy for an employer or recruiter to recognize.
Skills Employers Look For
While certain hard skills are necessary for any position, employers are looking increasingly for
job applicants with particular soft skills. This is because, while it is easy for an employer to train
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a new employee in a particular hard skill (such as how to use a certain computer program), it is
much more difficult to train an employee in a soft skill (such as patience or time management).
The hard skills are essential to getting the interview but it's the soft skills that will land the job
because employers want someone who won't just perform their job function, but will be a good
personality fit for the company and make a good impression on clients.
Emphasize both Hard and Soft Skills
During the job application process, you should therefore be sure to emphasize both your hard
and soft skills. This way, even if you lack a particular hard skill required by the company, you
can emphasize a particular soft skill that you know would be valuable in the position. For
example, if the job involves working on a number of group projects, be sure to emphasize your
experience and skill as a team player and your ability to communicate with team members.
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills Whats the difference and is one more important than the other to
your career success?
The relative importance of soft and hard skills depends highly on the career you are in or intend
to enter in the future. The three key differences between hard and soft skills are as follows:
To be good at hard skills usually takes smarts or IQ (also known as your left brain-the
logical center). To be good at soft skills usually takes Emotional Intelligence or EQ (also
known as your right brain- the emotional center). Examples of hard skills include math,
physics, accounting, programming, finance, biology, chemistry, statistics, etcQ
Hard skills are skills where the rules stay the same regardless of which company,
circumstance or people you work with. In contrast, soft skills are self-management skills
and people skills where the rules change depending on the company culture and people
you work with. For example, programming is a hard skill. The rules for how you can be
good at creating the best code to do a function is the same regardless of where you
work. Communication skills are a set of soft skills. The rules for how to be effective at
communication can change and depend on your audience or the content you are
communicating. You may communicate well to fellow programmers about technical details
while struggle significantly to communicate clearly to senior managers about your project
progress and support needed.
Hard skills can be learned in school/university and from books. For each hard skill (e.g.,
computer programming) there is usually a designated level of proficiency and competency
expected in the job/occupation and a direct path as to how to excel with this skill. For
example, accounting is a hard skill. You can take basic accounting and then advanced
accounting courses. You can then work to get experience and then take an exam and be
certified as a CPA, etc. In contrast, there is no simple path to learn soft skills. Most soft
skills are not taught well in school and have to be learned on the job by trial and error. Soft
skills, however, are also learned for example by sharing experiences with good friends,
learning to work with others on a team at university, volunteering in the community, and by
developing a good work ethic in school and university.
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills Which is more important?
It depends highly on the career you choose. Here is why.
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Careers can be put into 3 kind of categories. It is up to you to figure out which category
your career is in.
1. Careers that need hard skills and little soft skills (example: Physicists, Computer
Programmers); These are careers where you see brilliant people who may not deal well
with people. They can still be very successful in their career however. Look at Albert
Einstein.
2. Careers that need both hard and soft skills many careers are in this category (example:
Accountants, Lawyers) Accountants need to know the rules of accounting and lawyers
need to know court procedures and the law but they also depend on selling their services to
clients to build a successful career. Dealing well with clients require excellent soft skills like
communication skills, relationship skills, listening skills, honesty and integrity, etc.)
3. Careers that need mostly soft skills and little hard skills (example: sales). A car salesman
doesnt really need to know that much about cars, just a little more than the consumer. His
job is more dependent on his ability to read his customers, communicate his sales pitch,
persuasion skills, and skills to close to deal. These are all soft skills.
Final thoughts on the matter
Most of us have spent at least 16 years completing school and university. Your school and
university education focused mainly on building your hard skills full time and a little on your soft
skills through team projects, sports, and social activities. To succeed in and advance your
career, you need to keep working on developing your soft skills for the next 16 years.
Gaining a competitive edge in the job market
Lets say, there are two candidates who applied for the same position, both of them possess
the same hard skills and relevant work experience in their professional area. But one candidate
has excellent soft skills whereas the other person lacks many important people skills and
interpersonal skills. When the employer meets both of them at the interview who would be
selected? In this case, the employer prefers to hire the candidate who has better soft skills;
excellent interpersonal skills (get along with people easily), good work ethic, well developed
communication skills, good team working, creative thinking and problem solving abilities, etc.
Most employers are looking for a person who can break the ice at workplace and bring dynamic
to their business without any conflicts.
Source: https://bemycareercoach.com/soft-skills/hard-skills-soft-skills.html
Innovation Skills
Introduction
In a knowledge economy, talent and innovation are creators of competitive advantage and
drivers of success. Firms and companies in every country dont want to be competing on cost
for homogeneous, highly standardized goods and services in the global marketplace. Rather,
they want to be offering more unique goods and services, where price reflects innovative
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features, brand elements and fewer competitors, and this requires a capacity to continually
innovate. Innovation drives productivity, it drives competitiveness, it drives living standards.
Innovation is about turning knowledge and creativity into value. In many countries, there is a
real need to support the commercialization of the research work of university scientists and the
inventions of individual entrepreneurs and convert their innovations into a profitable venture.
The players in the innovation game include: (a) academics, scientists, and individual inventors
who conduct research and develop new products, processes, or services; (b) entrepreneurs
and business executives who commercialize the research work of university-based scientists
and inventions of talented individuals, and (c) government who facilitate the commercialization
process. Summarizing, the commercialization process is all about turning innovative ideas into
new value-added products and services. It requires collaboration and cooperation between the
various players.
To produce more innovative goods and services, every country needs to invest in research and
development and innovation. In the latest Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014 produced
by the World Economic Forum, 148 countries were ranked for innovation To read full report,
see (http://reports.weforum.org/the-global-competitiveness-report-2013-2014/#section=tablesgcr_pillar12_2013-14),
The top ten countries for innovation were:
1. Finland
2. Switzerland
3. Israel
4. Germany
5. Japan
6. Sweden
7. United States
8. Taiwan (China)
9. Singapore
10. Netherlands
All of these countries have the human resources, R&D investment, and overall capacity for
innovation. With respect to some African countries, South Africa ranked 39th, Kenya 46th,
Zambia 60th, Ghana 64th, Cameroon 80th, Tanzania 89th, Nigeria 100th, Botswana 102nd, and
Mozambique 128th. With respect to capacity of companies to innovate in their country, South
Africa, Kenya, and Zambia were the top three African countries and Angola, Algeria, and
Burundi were the lowest ranked countries.
The World Economic Forum report provides recommendations on how countries can develop
their capacity for innovation. Innovation can emerge from new technological and nontechnological knowledge. Technological innovation and breakthroughs have been at the basis
of many of the productivity gains that our economies have historically experienced. These
range from the industrial revolution in the 18th century and the invention of the steam engine
and the generation of electricity to the more recent digital revolution. The latter is not only
transforming the way things are being done, but also opening a wider range of new possibilities
in terms of products and services.
Although less-advanced countries can still improve their productivity by adopting existing
technologies or making incremental improvements in other areas, for those that have reached
the innovation stage of development this is no longer sufficient for increasing productivity.
Firms in these countries must design and develop cutting-edge products and processes to
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maintain a competitive edge and move toward even higher value-added activities. This
progression requires
An environment that is conducive to innovative activity and supported by both the public and
the private sectors
Sufficient investment in research and development (R&D), especially in the private sector
The presence of high-quality scientific research institutions that can generate the basic
knowledge needed to build the new technologies
Extensive collaboration in research and technological development between universities
and industry, and
The protection of intellectual property.
The report also concludes that it is important that public and private sectors resist pressures to
cut back on R&D spending that will be so crucial for sustainable growth going into the future.
The report gives the results of the 12 pillars of competitiveness separately (Pillar 12 is
innovation). It is important to keep in mind that they are not independent: they tend to reinforce
each other, and a weakness in one area often has a negative impact in others. For example, a
strong innovation capacity (pillar 12) will be difficult to achieve without a healthy, well-educated
and trained workforce (pillars 4 and 5) that is adept at absorbing new technologies (pillar 9),
and without sufficient financing (pillar 8) for R&D or an efficient goods market that makes it
possible to take new innovations to market (pillar 6). The complete report can be viewed at this
site: http://www.weforum.org/reports/global-competitiveness-report-2013-2014
The Need for Innovation Skills
Any African country wishing to increase its productivity and innovation performance must focus
on developing individuals that possess innovation skills. Without this HR development, a given
country will underperform its potential. Competitiveness in the knowledge-based economy is
not about the lowest cost but the highest creativity, and this applies to all sectors, from
agriculture to mining to energy to communications to retail. We need graduates that will have
the right set of skills and motivation to seize opportunities in the emerging economies of Africa
and create new products and services that consumers are seeking, and do so more quickly
than other global competitors.
Innovation skills are the skills you need to contribute to an organizations innovative
performance and produce new and improved strategies, capabilities, products, processes, and
services. These skills have been presented in the Innovation Skills Profile, prepared by the
Conference Board of Canada and the Center for Business Innovation in Canada. A summary is
given below.
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A. Creativity, Problem-Solving, and Continuous Improvement Skills

The skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed to generate ideas
You will be able to offer yourself and your organization greater possibilities for
achievement when you can:
Look for new ways to create value in products, processes, services, strategies, and
capabilities
Identify problems and potential solutions
Rethink the ways things are donebreak the mould
Look for surprising connectionsbe open-minded, seek and apply knowledge from
a wide variety of fields
B. Risk Assessment and Risk-Taking Skills

The skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed to take calculated risks and be
entrepreneurial
You will be able to offer yourself and your organization greater possibilities for
achievement when you can:
Assess and manage riskbe able to identify, quantify, and qualify a risk
Envision a future in which your risk-taking has paid off
Be willing to experiment with new ideascommit to an action without knowing
every outcome or consequence
Encourage individuals and teams to bring forward new ideas
Be resilient in the face of setbacks, mistakes, and potential mistakes
Recognize and reward the pursuit of new opportunities and calculated risk-taking
C. Relationship-Building and Communication Skills

The skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed to develop and maintain
interpersonal relationships that support innovation
You will be better prepared to add value to a task, project, or activity when you can:
Engage others to make use of their skills, knowledge, and abilities

Understand and work within the dynamics of a group
Respect and support the ideas, approaches, and contributions of others
Encourage, mentor, and coach others to share ideas and speak freelyfoster an
atmosphere of open-mindedness
Allocate resources for networking and sharing ideas, knowledge, and skills
Provide constructive feedback, guidance, and honest praise
D. Implementation Skills
The skills, attitudes, and behaviours needed to turn ideas into strategies,
capabilities, products, processes, and services
You will be better prepared to carry a task, project, or assignment through to success
when you can:
Set realistic goals and priorities
Exercise ingenuity when devising, planning, and implementing solutions
Use the right tools and technologies to complete a task, project, or assignment
Be tenaciousshow initiative, commitment, and persistence to get the job done
Adopt a can do attitude
Check to see if a solution works, and act on opportunities for improvement
Make change visiblehighlight new and improved products, services, processes,
strategies, and capabilities
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The complete Innovation Skills Profile can be accessed at this site:

http://www.conferenceboard.ca/Libraries/PUBLIC_PDFS/InnovationSkillsProfile.sflb
or http://www.conferenceboard.ca/cbi/innovationskills.aspx
African Innovations
Within Africa, there are a number of significant innovations. Some examples are described
below.
1.
Raspberry Pi
By Nicholas Pescod AfricanBrains

Its not a private investigator but even James Bond would be impressed with this little guy.
The highly anticipated credit-card size Raspberry Pi computer is now available in South Africa and
without order issues or backlogs according to a local distributor.
According to TechCentral.co.za the high-tech device, was developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation
and is a fully functional computer board, which can be
connected to a TV, computer monitor, and keyboard.
The 45-gram computer functions in a similar fashion to
that of a normal sized computer. The Pi allows users to
play games and watch HD movies. Users can also
operate spreadsheets, word-processing and connect to
the Internet. The computers dont have their own storage
system and require the use of an SD card.
The Pi was developed, according to reports, to give
information-technology programmers and developers a simple solution to computing. The product
targeted towards education facilities such as schools, resource centres and libraries.
While the Pis have been in high demand since debuting in February and since July about 4,000 Pis are
being produced daily. The unit will cost about $40 (USD) so you wont need to be Mr. Bond to own one.
According to a Raspberry Pi Foundation blog, orders were limited to just one per person. However that
has since been lifted, allowing bulk orders from corporations and schools.
The Raspberry Pi isnt the only tiny computer of its kind out there, according to SlashGear.com a similar
product called the Gooseberry Android board is available in the United Kingdom and can be purchased
online.
See more at: http://africanbrains.net/2012/07/18/welcome-to-south-africa-raspberrypi/#sthash.AhVNMYYL.dpuf
2.
Kenya on the Innovation Upswing: Geothermal Energy
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Geothermal Energy a Priority in 2014

Brookings Director of the Africa Growth Initiative Mwangi S.
Kimenyi and Josephine Kibe, guest scholar with the programme,
markedly stated that for East Africa and the leading geopolitical
stewards within it to achieve a sustainable forward economic
trajectory, Africa requires major investments in three Is:
institutions, integration, and infrastructure.
The East African business of energy innovation is beginning to
turn investor heads with a collective view towards these three Is
and dynamically amplify economic confidence while doing so.
The Kenyan market (East Africas biggest economy, expected to
expand by 5.9% from the 2013-14 fiscal year), is notably awash
in the speculation of rapid autonomous growth, given the recent
deep-dive oil finds, and is presently seeking stakeholders to develop three power plants in order to utilize
steam energy in the Rift Valley, according to the state-run Geothermal Development Company (GDC).
South Africas Business Day has additionally reported that the GDC expect to drill up to 120 wells as but
a first phase of the project.
According to the report, Ia period of 24-36 months will be provided for power plant construction.
During this initial period, the report made clear that risks would need to be taken and investors would be
required to provide 60%-80% of the capital autonomously.
Geothermal energy requires a large initial investment and will undoubtedly garner scrutiny from the offset, mainly due to the initial expensive drilling of wells, but is more reliable than rain-fed hydropower
generation in periods of drought, ecologically safer and, in tandem with the deep dive finds of 2013 that
have begun to inundate the economy with fervent oil wealth speculation, will amplify the Kenyan and
indeed East African integration opportunity for years to come.
-See more at: http://africanbrains.net/2014/01/10/kenya-innovation-upswing/
3.
Innovation Africa Highlights 2013
An Innovation Africa conference was held in Gaborone (Botswana) from October 15-17, 2013
involving education ministers and representatives from private sector companies. The video of
the conference cans be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K6brmV2BSE
Page 26 of 33
4.
The Solar Park in Freetown: Renewable Energy Innovation
.MULK OGI Oasis Gulf Investment, FZC wins Multimillion USD contract in Sierra Leone
The Solar Park in Freetown, with a capacity of 6 MW, will be one of West Africas largest solar parks
Mulk OGI Oasis Gulf Investment, FZC, a company of the Sharjah-based diversified conglomerate
affiliated to Mulk Holdings (http://www.mulkholdings.com), has recently won a multimillion USD contract
to provide Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) expertise for the pioneering USD 18 million
project, based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and to become one of West Africas largest solar parks.
The EPC part of the project will be spear headed by Mr. Khurram Nawab founder of MULK Renewable
Energy and inventor of its broad and innovative patented Solar Technologies portfolio. The Solar PV
panels will be sourced through a partnership with Masdar PV, a 100% subsidiary of Masdar, Abu Dhabis
multifaceted initiative for innovative renewable energy technologies, launched and owned by Mubadala
Development Company
The Solar Park in Freetown, with a capacity of 6 MW, has been selected from over 80 competitive project
applications and countries for the first funding cycle of the prestigious International Renewable Energy
(IRENA/ADFD) project facility. All the selected projects contribute towards helping address energy
security, improving energy access as well as creating a broad socio-economic impact. Further, each
project will inspire and enhance the development of renewable energy projects across the globe.
The proposal and implementation of the project in Sierra Leone is going to be carried out by an AED 2
Billion consortium coordinated and initiated by Mr. Bahige Annan The Consul General of Sierra Leone
in Dubai, UAE and IRENA Focal Point, Mr. Siray Timbo Special Envoy of The President of the Republic
of Sierra Leone and Mr. Filip Matwin, General Manager of Advanced Science and Innovation Company
(ASIC) LLC, who will also act as the manager of the overall project.
I feel glad that our effort to get this clean energy project to the forefront has been successful. From the
start, I have been constantly driven to change this thought into reality and now Im definite that with our
joint technology expertise and support of The Ministry of Energy of Sierra Leone and Advanced Science
and Innovation Company (ASIC), we will be able to successfully deliver this landmark project in the best
possible way says Mr. Bahige Annan.
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The solar park will produce sufficient energy so as to provide electricity to approximately 3000
households on average in Sierra Leone. The overall performance complies with 8.5% of Sierra Leones
total energy consumption and ensures the supply of energy on a more renewable, affordable and
sustainable basis in the future. The goal is to achieve 25% of the countrys energy generation from
renewable sources by the year 2015.
Mr. Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk, the Founder and Chairman of Mulk OGI Oasis Gulf Investment, FZC and
Mulk Holdings says, This venture is a big step towards helping us strengthen our base further in the
African market and at the same time it has given us a great opportunity to implement our in house
patented solar technology in the PV space.
-See more at: http://africanbrains.net/2014/02/03/solar-park-freetown-capacity-6-mw-will-one-westafricas-largest-solar-parks/#sthash.bnqwG1nl.dpuf
5.
The Development of Ubuntu, the Pioneering Computer Operating System
South Africa is renowned for having a large pool of talented, innovative software developers with firstworld know-how. So much so, that the country is ranked among the top 30 software development
outsourcing destinations in the world, according to information technology research and advisory firm
Gartner.
One of South Africas most notable examples of a successful software developer is Mark Shuttleworth,
founder of Ubuntu, the pioneering computer operating system that is distributed as free open source
software. However, these days in South Africa, there is very little incentive for local software developers
to use their talents and skills locally, since there is no preferential procurement policy that encourages
enterprises to use locally developed products, says Rick Parry, CEO of local software distributor and
Progress partner, AIGS.
So while international companies might start to recognise South Africa as a business process offshoring
(BPO) destination for software development, our own government and corporations are still investing in
internationally produced software, which means that all of that valuable software royalties and licensing
fees are rolling out of the country.
Parry says the other issue is that South Africa still lags behind the United States in terms of incubation
and innovation. Its not that the software developers arent creative and dont generate new ideas. Its
that companies arent willing to invest in and fund those new ideas and risk possible failure. When it
comes to software, they would much rather buy something that is internationally known and safe. The
considerable upfront cost, together with the expensive annual maintenance and licensing fees, makes it
prohibitively expensive to switch to another system later on.
That very much leaves software developers in limbo, because while South Africa is extremely resultsoriented and entrepreneurial, Parry says, the UK and US markets are far more conservative, only really
taking to products that are local and known to them. In order for South African software developers to
become successful in those countries, they have to actually be based there particularly in the US.
The Information Economy Report 2012, which was compiled by the United Nations Conference on
Trade and Development, stated that piracy, poor ICT infrastructure and inadequate protection of
intellectual property rights are some of the major challenges hindering ICT software development and
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service expansion in developing regions such as Africa. Another issue highlighted in the report is the
limited access that software developers in Africa have to venture capital.
Now that the problems hindering local software development have been identified, something should be
done to address it, Parry says. As the UNs report points out, software production can contribute to the
structural transformation of economies by weaning them away from dependence on low-technology
goods. In a country like ours, where software implementation challenges are exacerbated by a fluctuating
exchange rate, software developed locally, by people who understand the local culture and economy,
can provide greater operational efficiencies as well as cost savings
See more at: http://africanbrains.net/2014/01/31/wanted-software-developers-southafrica/#sthash.N4nObhdH.dpuf
6.
IDRC Forum - Opportunity calls: Booming innovation in Africa
11/06/2014, Fairmont Queen Elizabeth, 900 Ren Lvesque Blvd. W., Montreal, Quebec
The International Economic Forum of the Americas (Confrence de Montral)
IDRC Forum on Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Fairmont Queen Elizabeth
900 Ren Lvesque Blvd. W.
Montreal, Quebec
Opportunity calls: Booming innovation in Africa
With weak economic outlooks in industrialized economies, the next stage of growth will depend on
trade with developing countries. And the next frontier for trade is Africa, whose economic growth has
surpassed that of industrialized countries over the past few years. Trade between China and Africa
rose from $10 billion to $170 billion over the last decade.
While much of Africas historic and recent growth has been based on the export of natural
resources, opportunities for enhanced collaboration with the continent are growing as Africa
increases its investment in science and innovation. For example, Africa is building the worlds
largest radio telescope. Ghana, Kenya, Senegal, and South Africa have recently performed well on
innovation indices. Starting a business in Rwanda is easier than in Switzerland, Sweden, or
Singapore.
In addition, new agencies that fund or catalyze innovation are emerging. For example. iHub in
Nairobi, a technology business incubator, has spawned more than 150 companies in three years. It
was named one of 2014s most innovative companies by Fast Company. The African Institute for
Mathematical Sciences is providing world-class training to the best students across the continent.
The goal: finding the next Einstein in Africa.
However, a number of constraints to growth remain, including poor knowledge about local needs,
weak science and technology capacity, and lack of collaboration between African countries.
Growing opportunities to collaborate
The ongoing transformation offers opportunities to universities, granting councils, and the private
sector from industrialized countries to collaborate with African countries for mutual benefit. It offers
opportunities for industrialized countries to secure their prosperity by helping develop strong
partners with whom they can innovate and trade. Collaboration is also a good way to enhance
synergies between the development, trade, and diplomacy aspects of foreign policy.
Page 29 of 33
Panelists will describe promising investments in innovation in Africa, how advanced skills training
can further propel Africas economy, and opportunities for collaboration to enhance innovation,
trade, and development.
Panelists
Prof. Johann Mouton, Director, Centre for Research on Evaluation, Science and Technology,
Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Thierry Zomahoun, Executive Director, African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, South Africa
Juliana Rotich, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Ushahidi Inc, Kenya
Chair
Naser Faruqui, Director, Science and Innovation, International Development Research Centre,
Canada
Opening Remarks
Jean Lebel, President, International Development Research Centre, Canada
See: http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Misc/Pages/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=280
7.
From Kenya to Madagascar: The African Tech-Hub Boom
BBC Business News, 19 July 2012

Viewpoint by Erik Hersman, Technologist, blogger, co-founder of Ushahidi
For further details, see http://www.bbc.com/news/business-18878585
Where the magic happens: iHub in Kenya is just one of several technology centres across Africa
There's a buzz, a palpable energy, running through the corridors of Africa's capitals and urban
areas, and much of it revolves around tech.
What happens when smartphones outsell computers four to one, and 50% of a continent's population is
below the age of 20?
Page 30 of 33
You have a technology-literate mobile generation unlike any that has come before. This week finds me in
Botswana.
I've talked to a couple of start-up entrepreneurs - Pule Mmolotsi, who is testing out an Oyster-like card for
public transportation in the country, and Katy Digovich, who is creating apps for the Ministry of Health.
They represent what I continue to see across the continent - a new generation trying new ideas and
taking to technology.
African governments aren't fast or savvy enough to build the infrastructure needed to support this type of
entrepreneurial tech activity.
Academic institutions are woefully behind in teaching skills for computer science and design.
So where do people like Pule and Katy go? What mechanisms support their start-ups and connect them
to capital, businesses and their peers?
Incubators and accelerators
If you had asked that question two years ago, the answer would have been: "Very little."
But in the past two years there has been an interesting phenomenon in Africa - the proliferation of tech
hubs and incubators.
AfriLabs
AfriLabs connects tech hubs with investors and entrepreneurs. The group so far has 14 members:
iHub - Kenya
Hive Colab - Uganda
ActivSpaces - Cameroon
BantaLabs - Senegal
NaiLab - Kenya
MEST - Ghana
iceAddis - Ethiopia
Co-Creation Hub - Nigeria
iLab - Liberia
RLabs - South Africa
BongoHive - Zambia
Malagasy i-Hub - Madagascar
m:Lab EA - Kenya
Wennovation Hub - Nigeria
All of Africa's tech hubs, mapped

These range from incubation and training spaces like MEST Ghana to co-working environments such as
ActivSpaces in Cameroon, and community spaces like the Co-Creation Hub in Nigeria.
Governments are involved, with places like the Botswana Innovation Hub here in Gaberone, and some
academic institutions are jumping in, like we see with the Strathmore iLab in Nairobi.
There are now more than 50 tech hubs, labs, incubators and accelerators in Africa, covering more than
20 countries. In Nairobi, we have six.
Page 31 of 33
I've had a front-row seat as the founder of the iHub in Nairobi, where four years ago we had an idea and
built a space that now has more than 8,000 members and holds approximately 120 events per year.
We sit at the centre of Kenya's tech community, where our role is to serve as a connection point and
support the phenomenal hi-tech growth in the country.
Last year five of these tech hubs founded AfriLabs, an umbrella body that allows investors and media to
connect more quickly to the tech activity in each of the countries that houses a member lab. There are
now 14 member labs across 10 countries.
T
The Kenyan iHub hosts about 120 events a year and has more than 8,000 members
At the iHub, we've built strong relationships with some of Kenya's top companies, including Zuku, Nokia,
Google, Nation Media Group, Safaricom, InMobi, MIH and Samsung.
Suit and tie
We also have a great relationship with the government, through the Kenya ICT Board and the permanent
secretary for information and communication, and we have strong ties with Strathmore and Stanford
Universities.
But if we had waited for the government to create the iHub in Kenya, we would still be waiting today.
The new face of African technology is more than enough to tempt huge companies to take the scene
seriously. We often joke that in Nairobi people don't think you have a job unless you wear a suit and tie
and head to the city centre each day.
Page 32 of 33
In a world where suits and ties are expected, who provides the space for the next generation to work,
build companies and be taken seriously as start-up coder wearing ripped jeans and a T-shirt?
Innovation comes from the edges, so it comes as no surprise that innovators are found in the
margins. They are the misfits among us, the ones who see and do things differently.
The tech hubs in Africa provide a home for those with new and innovative ideas, create an atmosphere
where they are encouraged to try new things, and most importantly are able to meet like-minded
individuals they can grow with.
Erik Hersman is a technologist and blogger living in Nairobi. As well as being co-founder of the groundbreaking mapping website Ushahidi, he also founded the iHub, Nairobi's thriving technology centre. You
can follow him on Twitter here
List of Sources
From Kenya to Madagascar: The African Tech-Hub Boom
http://www.bbc.com/news/business-18878585
Hubs in Africa https://africahubs.crowdmap.com/
IDRC Forum - Opportunity calls: Booming innovation in Africa :
http://www.idrc.ca/EN/Misc/Pages/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=280
Careers and Employability Service, University of Kent
Skills are your Passport, Alberta Career Development and Employment, Canada
The South African Graduate Recruiters Association (SAGRA)
The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) www.naceweb.org.
The Institute of Directors in the UK, http://www.iod.com/influencing/policy-papers/educationand-skills/graduates-employability-skills
The Employability 2000+ Profile, The Conference Board of Canada
Hard and Soft Skills, bemycareercoach.com
Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014, World Economic Forum
Innovation Skills Profile, The Conference Board of Canada and the Center for Business
Innovation in Canada
Page 33 of 33

Career Planning Guide

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2014-2015 AIMS Career Planning Guide

Employability and Innovation Skills

What is meant by employability skills?..............................................................

Why is employability important?..........................................................................

Results of NACE Survey.

Results of Institute of Directors Survey in the UK 13

Summary: The Main Employability Skills that Employers Want.

What Are Hard and Soft Skills?..................................................................................

Emphasize both Hard and Soft Skills

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills Which is more important?.....................................

2. Kenya on the Innovation Upswing: Geothermal Energy..

3. Innovation Africa Highlights 2013. 26

6. IDRC Forum - Opportunity calls: Booming innovation in Africa..

7. From Kenya to Madagascar: The African Tech-Hub Boom.

Employability and Innovation Skills

What is meant by employability skills?

knowledge and abilities relating to a particular job;

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Why is employability important?

Technical skills are the specific technical abilities and

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

The Next Step: Complete the Employability Skills Checklist

Check off the appropriate box below ()

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Check off the appropriate box below ()

Creative and Innovative Skills

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Check off the appropriate box below ()

Confrontingtelling others things that they may

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Check off the appropriate box below ()

deciding what to buy and how much to spend or

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Check off the appropriate box below ()

through appropriate dress, language, behaviour,

Personal Management Skills

Flexibility and Adaptability

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Check off the appropriate box below ()

Adding Up and Assessing Your Score

Skills that you already

Skills that you would like to

Skills that you would like to

The next step:

Very Important Skills of Applicants

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

The top 10 skills were, in order of descending importance:

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Results of Institute of Directors Survey in the UK

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

The employability skills employers look for in graduates

The top ten skills

The next top 10 skills rated by the Directors were:

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

Employability Skills 2000+ Developed by the Conference Board of Canada

Write and speak so others pay attention and understand

decide what needs to be measured or calculated

THINK AND SOLVE PROBLEMS

assess situations and identify problems

AIMS Career Planning Guide: Employability and Innovation Skills

seek different points of view and evaluate them based on facts

Personal Management Skills

DEMONSTRATE POSITIVE ATTITUDES AND

feel good about yourself and be confident