In a technology-driven society, opportunity is literally at our fingertips. Today's students are presented with endless opportunities to discover the world around them, with nothing more than a smartphone. Yet according to Forbes, many young graduates enter the workforce lacking some of the most basic life skills they will need to find success. In a survey of over 63,000 managers and 14,000 recent graduates, communication was at the top of that list.

Why is communication lacking among young workers? Because it's not an easy skill to learn, but it remains a critical skill for future success. Here's a closer look at the importance of communication and what we at GIIS are doing to cultivate communication skills in our students.

Why Communication Skills Are Critical for Success

After students graduate from their secondary schools, they will either enter the workplace or go on to receive college or university education. Some, perhaps after some university training, will go on to launch their own business endeavours. In each of these areas, they will need to be able to communicate well. In the workplace, employees need to be able to work with others on their team or in groups made up of a diverse population. Workers must also be able to listen to others, ask questions, state opinions and communicate desires for success.

Students who wish to pursue more education also need strong communication skills. Today's university education involves a significant amount of research, especially in technical and medical fields, and that research must be published. Students need to be able to communicate to apply for grants and scholarships, to work with a diverse student body on research projects and to collaborate with other students and teachers to find success. Again, communication is at the center of these activities.

For the up-and-coming entrepreneur, communication skills continue to be essential. In fact, Jayson DeMers of Entrepreneur.com says, "Your success as an entrepreneur is determined in large part by your ability to communicate. You can be the best at what you do, but if you're not communicating effectively, then you're missing opportunities." Even for those who launch their own companies and businesses, communication remains an essential skill.

Communication Study Starts Early at GIIS

In spite of this need for good communication skills, many primary and secondary schools don't provide training for students in the art of communication. At GIIS, we feel this fails students, because this particular life skill isn't one that comes naturally. To help develop well-rounded students, we begin teaching communication skills from the first day our students set foot in our classrooms. Whether in academic studies, on the sports field, in an extracurricular activity or even in daily home life, our teachers and staff focus on providing students with the skills they need to be great communicators, so they will be ready for the challenges of adult life.