Abstract:
This study seeks to explore the perceptions of employers regarding the possession of soft
skills by graduate employees in the Ghanaian mining industry, specifically focusing on Gold
Fields Ghana Limited. The study aimed to delineate the soft skills employers expect from
graduate employees, examine the employers’ perception of the soft skills proficiency of
graduate employees, and examine the discrepancies between employers' expectations and
their assessments of graduate employees' performance in the identified set of soft skills. A
qualitative methodology was employed for this research using thematic analysis for data
analysis. The results revealed a significant variability in the soft skills proficiency of
graduate employees and a notable gap between their theoretical understanding of soft skills
and their practical application in real-world scenarios. The study also revealed that
employers prioritize a range of soft skills, with communication, teamwork and
collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking being the most crucial. The study
identified four primary areas where employers perceive gaps between their expectations and
actual performance of graduates: Communication in High-Pressure Situations, Application
of Soft Skills in Mining Environment, Adaptability to Industry Demands and Ethical
Decision-Making and Safety Culture.
