Young professionals must be skilled, knowledgeable, professional, and networked

The post-pandemic period will be a difficult time for young professionals to start a career. They will be required to have the skills, knowledge, professionalism, and networking to succeed, said speakers at webinars titled "Professionalism and Networking–Essentials for a Post-2020 Career" and "Commitment to Lifelong Learning and Preparing for a Successful Transition." 

Md Asad-ur-Rahman, country director of Simprints, said, networking is an important part of a career while professionalism is significant at work for personal growth. Conferences, seminars, social events, and social media can help boost networking. He emphasised the importance of the new professionals being: ethical, well-learned, respectful, and self-motivated.

He also said the post-Covid-19 situation will advance remote working and management technology, which will give organisations more complex structures. However, this might mean that global opportunities might be more visible than before.

In this open platform, working hours will be more flexible and new challenges will follow.

Capacity building must also be encouraged so that the younger generation can easily cope with the fresh challenges. 

Salim Hossain, assistant professor, Department of Psychology, University of Dhaka, said, a positive mindset is essential for learning. A learner must possess a growth mindset or be willing to cultivate one when necessary, irrespective of age. One needs to first understand what a given topic is intended for so that they can learn sustainably. He also encouraged the learners to ask questions. 

He highlighted the importance of being open to taking different challenges and having a target. Positivising transitions, he said, brings challenges; to beat the challenges, one needs to be flexible and prepared. 

Nasima Akhter Sirajee, founder and principal staff of Floret ECD Center, stressed the importance of teachers being proficient in new curriculum and technology to make learning real and relevant to learners. Teachers have to know what piques the students' interests and bridge the generation gap, she said, adding that learners should be allowed freedom as well. 

She also claimed that networking plays a vital role in learning. 

The webinars were organized by the EMK Center in partnership with Access to Information (a2i), University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) and The Business Standard as part of a month-long "Youth Employability Campaign."