The Malta Independent 7 May 2024, Tuesday
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Notwithstanding technical experience, employers want people with better soft skills

The Malta Business Weekly Thursday, 20 July 2017, 10:34 Last update: about 8 years ago

Over 50 training programmes, fifteen of which new

MISCO is launching its 2017 - 2018 Training Catalogue with over 50 training programmes, fifteen of which are new. These programmes due to be held between July and December, will be delivered by a number of qualified tutors, all handpicked by MISCO to guarantee an outcome of the highest level.

MISCO Training programmes focus particularly Personal Development, Leadership and Management, Human Resources, Service Excellence and Sales and Marketing.

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"From a training needs analysis on the local sector and from the feedback of employers with whom we work, the market has been constantly showing us that notwithstanding their qualifications and practical experience, many still need to refine the very important soft skills that can make all the difference," explains Ritienne Xerri, Director of MISCO Consulting and responsible for MISCO's Training and Development and Business Advisory Services.

"The flexibility that is being expected from employees requires them to be better not only at their job but also as team players. This means that employees with soft skills will perform even better at work. Soft skills such as the ability to communicate with others or during a meeting, how to behave and deal with employees, how to approach and tackle challenges and showing empathy to colleagues are becoming important assets to have, even for career advancement," added Ritienne Xerri.

Amongst the new programmes available in this 2017-2018 catalogue, one finds topics such as "The Art of Talking Happy", "Communicating Across Different Cultures", "Using Big Data for Marketing", "Bootcamp for Managers", and "Taming the Time Monster: Getting Things Done".

"The Art of Talking Happy" deals with ways on how to generate more positivity when talking to customers or colleagues, Improving common phrases to make them more positive, how to impress customers with one's attitude and understanding how your attitude reflects on your work. "Communicating Across Different Cultures" is another interesting topic especially given the increased diversity at the workplace that many have been experiencing over the past few years. This course in fact will help attendees understand the norms of doing business in different cultures, working towards achieving mutual agreements, learning how to become more conscious of different cultural expectations and how to achieve a balance when foreign business partners visit the organisation in one's home country."

Another programme for which we are aware there is great interest is the one dealing with the topic "Using Big Data for Marketing". As marketing managers and executives constantly seek a link between what customers hear, read and view and what they consume, Big Data is being seen as the ultimate answer. In this programme, participants will not only understand what Big Data is and how it is best utilized but they will also get to understand better how to leverage Big Data in their marketing strategy and how to use it to improve their marketing performance.

"Personally, I feel that one of the most important aspects in this new set of programmes is the fact that our trainers are not just lecturers but they are professionally engaged trainers who will be bringing their first-hand experiences to the training room. Participants who choose MISCO's training programmes will not be left wandering about the practical feasibility of what they are learning. They will be getting tried and tested experience," Ritienne Xerri concluded.


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