Jared Kamrass is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, OH, and has served as a chief strategist for political figures across the country. In the following article, Jared Kamrass discusses the important personal development skills that higher education reveals.
When students enter college, they enter the most important stage of their lives.
College can be essential for professional development. It’s where students pursue a career path right away or develop a professional interest through exposure to new fields.
Jared Kamrass of Cincinnati, OH says that higher education offers a refinement of skills and the development of others. It includes work-study programs, interview training, and access to internships.
For many fields, a college diploma is a valuable step forward into professional life. But there’s more to higher education than earning a degree explains Jared Kamrass.
While professional development is part of daily life in high education, so is personal development. And it’s equally important.
Personal Development within Higher Education
Broadly, personal development refers to anything that fuels self-discovery that leads to self-improvement.
In many ways, Jared Kamrass says that it parallels professional development in higher education. Life skills develop first by pinpointing academic interests and that often reflect skills and abilities fostered in a classroom.
Jared Kamrass says that personal development digs deeper. Students in higher education, through working with counselors, learning from teachers, and interacting with friends, learn about themselves.
Higher education may shape values and a sense of self-awareness and confidence that is carried into the workforce.
For many who attend college, it’s the first time they spend a significant time away from home and away from the supervision of parents. On their own, students learn everything from how to manage emotions and take care of themselves financially to better communication approaches.
Jared Kamrass says that this can happen in the classroom and out. Many colleges offer personal development courses, while others offer career and personal development offices that students may access at any time.
Students may learn about the importance of networking and study leadership approaches in class, but then practice them personally. Jared Kamrass of Cincinnati, OH also says that students may learn how to design a website but also develop creatively in their personal lives.
The Importance of Personal Development in College
Landing a job isn’t just about technical skills. Much of what makes a job candidate attractive after graduation is how they manage conflict if they are effective communicators, and the ability to adapt and be a team player.
There’s a reason why 85% of universities and colleges offer some form of life-skills development for students. Along with training within a specific field, Jared Kamrass of Cincinnati, OH says that personal development provides a strong foundation for success in and out of the workplace.
The mere exposure to different ideas and subjects helps students develop a worldview. At its heart, college fosters and encourages independence and helps to refine a work ethic.
If one wishes to climb the professional ladder, a diploma is just part of the journey. In many ways, getting to the top is impossible without life skills that come from personal development.
‘Soft Skills’
In 2015, the World Economic Forum and the Boston Consulting Group released a list of 16 skills that are crucial for students to possess for a rapidly evolving job market. Jared Kamrass explains that three interpersonal abilities were listed: communication, leadership, and collaboration.
But the skills needed in the 21st century also included seven-character virtues and traits defined as intrapersonal skills: creativity, initiative, critical thinking, and problem solving, persistence, cultural and social awareness, and adaptability.
While professional skills are considered “hard skills” compared to the so-called “soft skills” within personal development, it’s clear such skills are anything but “soft.”
Skills for Life
Jared Kamrass says that the most important skills learned through personal development apply to all fields and all stages of life. Every field requires good organizational and planning skills, in addition to teamwork skills.
A part-time job in college doesn’t just become a line on a professional resume. It speaks volumes about work ethic and initiative. Higher education shapes the way one works with and understands different people, and solves problems quickly, effectively, and calmly.
Networking in college may connect one with future colleagues and industry leaders, but relationships crucial to personal success are only fueled by developing great personal skills.
Much of personal development is learning from mistakes in college, whether that’s in the classroom or within friendships and other relationships. Failing is OK. What matters is the lesson learned from the failure.
Jared Kamrass explains that learning from failure requires a depth of self-awareness and commitment to self-improvement that only comes from personal development.
That’s a big reason why higher education is so valuable.
