Soft Skills—Meet Sandra
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Research Assistant Sandra Bustamante
As you have seen, while technical aptitude and a solid foundation in science and mathematics remain important, so is coursework in social sciences such as communications, psychology, and sociology. This video features Sandra, a research assistant who works in the cutting-edge field of biotechnology. For all her proven technical skills, it’s her soft skills that have helped her excel in her field. These include a desire to learn, a willingness to collaborate with others, and curiosity about how things work.
Click on the left to watch the video.
Prepare some ideas for a classroom discussion that will help demonstrate to students the value of soft skills in the workplace. For example, you might start by asking students to identify the skills and characteristics that Sandra exhibited in the video that make her such a valuable employee. You might then ask students to relate a personal experience in which they had to use effective communication skills to rectify a situation.
