Soft Skills of New Teachers in the Secondary Schools of Khon Kaen Secondary Educational Service Area 25, Thailand

Abstract

Excellent soft skills are necessary requisites for success (Gillard, 2009). Soft skills fulfill an important role in shaping and individual's personality (Schulz, 2008). A perfect blend of personal qualities, soft skills and hard skills will definitely contribute to enhancing graduate employability (Wye&Lim, 2009). Hard skills tend to be specific to a certain type of task or activity, soft skills are broadly applicable. It often said that hard skills will enable individuals to obtain an interview but soft skills enable individuals to secure a job. Vast research and expert opinions have been sought in the effort to determine the specific soft skills to be implemented and used in higher institutions of learning. Based on the research findings obtained, seven soft skills have been identified and chosen to be implemented in all institutions of higher learning. What soft skills and levels do new teachers in the secondary school have currently? This research objective was to study soft skills of new teachers in the secondary schools of Khon Kaen Secondary Educational Service Area 25, Thailand. The data were collected from 60 purposive samples of new teachers by interviewing and questionnaires. The results of this study were informed that new teachers have all of soft skills at high level totally. Communicative skills were highest among seven of soft skills and next Life-long learning and information management skills, Critical and problem solving skills, Team work skills, Ethics, moral and professional skills, Leadership skills and Innovation invention and development skills were lowest in all skills. Based on the research findings obtained, the sub-skills of seven soft skills will be considered and utilized in the package of teacher development program of next research.