Sub-directorate of Leadership Quality Improvement (PPKB) in Directorate of Student Affairs UGM, again, held Training of Trainers (TOT) for Qualified Leadership for UGM lecturers. The activity lasted for two days, 7-8 February 2012, at UGM Wisma Kagama.
Director of Student Affairs, Drs. Haryanto, M.Si, said the low soft skills is still one weak point found on college graduates, including UGM. Meanwhile, work market requires not only college graduates who have hard skills, but also soft skills. "Reports made by a number of recruitment agencies said that the weakness of most college graduates is their soft skill which is still low," he said.
Haryanto said the development of soft skills for students is not simply through curricular activities. Therefore, UGM makes soft skill development programs for students. Programs have been implemented since 2003 through a program, Due-like Batch IV, focusing on leadership.
Haryanto further mentioned the TOT this time aimed to prepare lecturers who will assist students in developing soft skills. "Through this TOT, lecturers are prepared to assist students and become facilitator for each study program in the development of student soft skills," he explained.
UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M.Eng., Ph.D., hoped that the lecturers can synergize with each other, reinforce each other in the effort to develop student leadership. Additionally, the Rector also advised that the lecturers could give direction to the student. "Currently, students in groups have a new mindset. There is a paradigm shift in students. Therefore, we expect the lecturers to assist and guide them," he said.
In the TOT training, the lecturers are given the method of training and leadership development. The training was attended by 30 lecturers from various study programs in UGM.