ABOUT SKILLSCAMP

WHAT ARE SOFT SKILLS?

“Soft skills” are the skills that typically characterize our relationships with other people, and/or how we approach work and life.

 

They are typically associated with personality traits like emotional intelligence, good communication, high productivity, resilience, and a strong work ethic. They are skills that provide the groundwork for learning all other skills. These skills are often referred to as ‘people skills’, ‘life skills’, ‘essential skills’, ‘social skills’, ‘core skills’, or ‘transferable skills’.

 

“Hard skills”, by contrast, usually refer to the quantifiable, technical, job-specific skills. Hard skills are often associated with highly technical professions, like nursing, software development or the trades, like plumbing or carpentry. People often refer to these skills as ‘threshold skills’ or ‘vocational skills.'”

 

While soft skills are less tangible and harder to quantify, they are skills critical to all personal, professional and organizational success. The ideal nurse would have the technical expertise to use medical equipment, but would also have great bedside manner. The irony is that soft skills are often harder to learn, which is why we are here to help.

WHAT IS SKILLSCAMP?

SkillsCamp is a soft skills training company. We work with businesses and educational institutions to build soft skills in their staff and students.

 

Across all industries, employers and industry leaders are identifying soft skills like communication, teamwork, time management, emotional intelligence, and leadership as critical skills for job hunters and employees alike. Yet, these core skills and several others are relatively absent in the traditional education model. The result is students who become employees without the requisite abilities to excel in their careers. SkillsCamp teaches this “missing curriculum” to help people become more employable and more effective leaders and contributors.

 

We believe in adapting to our clients’ needs. Our clients choose the skill they want to develop and the most convenient method of delivery. SkillsCamp then customizes our learning to their specific industry, and their contextual needs.

 

We are a value-driven company. We care about how people learn as much as what they learn. At SkillsCamp, we tailor to the needs and learning styles of our students and clients. We believe the best way to learn is when you can bring your whole self. Our instructors walk the walk by living and working in what they teach everyday.

WE WORK WITH:

MISSION

Our mission is to equip people with the soft skills needed for professional
success.

VISION

Through tailored, inclusive, practical learning, our vision is to be a prime driver of soft skills acquisition in Canada.

VALUES

Our values inform the core of everything we do including how we interact with students and clients, how we treat each other at SkillsCamp, how we create learning environments and our corporate social responsibility.

INCLUSIVITY
We believe you learn best when you can bring your whole self with no fear of judgement We believe in diversity, and in creating equitable, safe spaces for our students.

 

EMPOWERMENT
We don’t believe in quick fixes. We believe in giving you the skills to succeed beyond your interaction with us. We teach you to fish.

 

KNOWLEDGE
We believe in acquiring knowledge from all areas of life. We believe knowledge is an exchange. We make sure our teams are smart, capable, experienced and up-to-date.

 

FRIENDLINESS
We believe a little kindness can go a long way. A smile when you walk in the door and a welcoming space can make all the difference in your interactions and ability to learn and work with us.

 

PRACTICALITY
We believe in providing you with strategies, practices and tips you can apply right away. We cater to your context as much as possible.

 

ADAPTABILITY
We believe that to work with all types of people and thrive in a market that is always changing, we must be open-minded, agile and willing to change.

FOUNDERS

Education is our thing.

  • "After watch Hamza Khan present at CACUSS I knew that his wisdom and expertise would be a great fit for a training retreat CLC was coordinating for 32 professional residence life staff. With only a few weeks turnaround time Hamza was able to create and facilitate a half day workshop that not only educated but also engaged the entire team to the degree that they are still talking about his workshop to this day. From providing tips and tricks on how to be more productive in our professional and personal lives to providing data and insight on how students are learning, Hamza was a fantastic, informative, engaging facilitator providing my team with the energy, insight and inspiration to begin another academic year. Without a doubt Hamza’s workshop was one of the highlights of our training!"

    Stephanie Muehlethaler, MA
    Stephanie Muehlethaler, MA Director, Residence Life & the Student Experience, Campus Living Centres
  • "Had the opportunity to experience a presentation from SkillsCamp and Bailey Parnell herself. Though done remotely, her energy came through and distance didn't detract from the validity of her points. Lots of good takeaways and insights to help myself and my company improve. Specifically, Bailey had very relatable examples and a jocular delivery. Virtual communication skills isn't a dry topic, but she brought it to life in an exceptional way. She recognized the challenge of keeping everyone engaged and had interactive elements to do so. Looking forward to future sessions with SkillsCamp."

    Ryan Segovich
    Ryan Segovich Director of Organic Marketing, Keypath Education
  • "The leadership webinar was a very resourceful  session. I certainly benefited from this session. As a leader and people manager myself, I can use [the learnings] as tools and guides for the development of my direct reports as well as my personal development. We should have this kind of programs on leadership more often."

    Sivaletchimy Perumal
    Sivaletchimy Perumal Credit Manager, TD Canada Trust + Received Leadership webinar through the Credit Institute of Canada.
  • "I attended the Networking workshop because I wanted to enhance my networking skills in order to make stronger professional connections. The workshop instructor presented the material in an accessible way with concrete strategies about how to network more effectively. After attending the workshop, I used some of the networking strategies and was able to make stronger connections with people in my field. I wish I had learned about this workshop earlier in my career because I could have avoided a lot of trial and error which would have saved time and prevented lost connections. I would highly recommend the Networking workshop to anyone who wants to improve their soft skills."

    Ayesha Bhatti
    Ayesha Bhatti Project Manager, Council of Ontario Universities + Attended networking workshop through the ADaPT Program at Ryerson University
  • Bailey Parnell, from SkillsCamp, facilitated a personal branding workshop for over 30 university students at the Starting Point 2017 conference at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bailey’s laid back yet confident facilitation style pulled the students in to her message on the importance of presenting a consistent and professional brand on social media and beyond. Her use of personal anecdotes, theory, real-world statistics, and immediately implementable tips resonated with students looking to create their own professional brands. Don’t hesitate to book Bailey and SkillsCamp for anything related to social media or personal branding.

    Matt MacPhee
    Matt MacPhee Senior Project Manager at the Sobey School Business Development Centre, Saint Mary’s University

We know the importance of soft skills, but don’t just take our word for it.

See for yourself in our Knowledge Centre.

Have any burning questions?

Maybe we’ve answered them in our Frequently Asked Questions here

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