TMU NEXT prepares students to lead

According to a 2019 study by LinkedIn, 92 per cent of recruiters say that soft skills matter as much as, or more than, hard skills. The Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science (FEAS) recognizes this reality, which is why a wide range of soft-skill development opportunities are available to students – including TMU NEXT.

Launched in 2018, NEXT is a free leadership program designed for second-year FEAS students. Participants attend workshops and events meant to facilitate goal-setting, communication, self-assessment and other crucial soft skills. 

“One of the core qualities of successful leadership is being able to set goals for your own development and the development of others,” said Fenella Amarasinghe, manager of pedagogy and career education for FEAS. “The NEXT program helps students create a tangible action plan to help them achieve these goals.” 

For NEXT graduate Rinay Shah, third-year computer engineering student, the leadership skills fostered through NEXT have been valuable to his school and work performance. “The program’s focus on leadership allowed me to improve my soft skills, such as communication, collaboration and responsibility.”

Neel Bhavsar, a third-year computer engineering student and NEXT graduate, agrees. “These skills can be applied in any working environment, which is why I found the NEXT program really effective.”