In our previous article, we shared insights gathered from individuals of varied backgrounds and demographics who have studied both locally and abroad. We explored six critical dimensions under the theme ‘What Studying Abroad Can Augment’, and highlighted the often-underestimated value of networking - particularly in career progression and job hunting. In fact, referral-based candidates consistently enjoy significantly higher hiring rates than those applying through standard channels.
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The Common Thread: The Power of Soft Skills
The six dimensions - global perspective, independence, career development, academic quality, networking, and English proficiency - ultimately converge into one essential outcome: the development of soft skills that underpin success in today’s professional world.
Why Soft Skills Matter More Than Ever
1. The Shift from Hard Skills to Soft Skills
With the rise of artificial intelligence and automation, technical competencies are increasingly commoditised. By contrast, soft skills - such as collaboration, emotional intelligence, and adaptability - have become increasingly critical across all industries.
2. The Hidden Curriculum of Studying Abroad
Each challenge encountered while studying abroad becomes an unspoken training ground for soft skills:
- Adaptability & Problem-Solving – Handling unexpected events, such as a power outage in student housing
- Emotional Intelligence & Teamwork – Collaborating on a group project with peers from five different nationalities
- Resilience & Written Communication – Receiving 30 internship rejections before securing the 31st opportunity
- Creativity – Designing a start-up pitch for a panel of judges spanning three continents
- Building a Professional Identity – Crafting a more diverse and globally competitive LinkedIn profile
- Intrinsic Drive – As one Durham University alumnus shared: “My years at Durham... provided greater intellectual engagement with real-world issues… and I developed the intrinsic drive to learn more in order to contribute to more meaningful discussions.”
- Stress Management – Learning from international peers how they manage pressure and navigate cultural differences
- Other Soft Skills – Including open-mindedness, organisation, self-confidence, and resourcefulness
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3. The Career Optimisation Formula
Employers are increasingly recognising that an individual’s productivity is closely tied to their soft skills. As a result, many companies are now embracing skills-based hiring models:
“More companies are starting to embrace skills-based hiring practices. Large companies, such as Boeing, Walmart, and IBM have signed … pledging to implement skills-based practices …” - McKinsey, 2022
“… skills-based hiring started to become a movement just a few years ago, and is being strongly advocated by major companies today, including IBM, Google, and Accenture …” - Forbes, 2024
“In a rapidly evolving workplace post-Covid, seven of the top 10 skills in the study were soft skills – in part due to the proliferation of AI, … Soft skills can be harder for AI to replicate.” - CNBC,2025
The Ultimate Return on Investment
Unlike investing in shares such as Tesla or Alibaba, the return on investment in your child’s education cannot be calculated in simple numbers. While the advantages of studying abroad are numerous, an even more critical unknown is your child’s willingness and capacity to absorb and maximise these opportunities.
As parents, it is worth asking ourselves:
- Does my child thrive under structure or freedom? Will they have the maturity and focus to seize the opportunities that studying abroad presents?
- Will my child flourish with global exposure, or feel overwhelmed by it?
- How will this experience help shape them into the kind of candidate employers compete to hire—and fast-track for promotion?
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These six pillars can directly and indirectly shape not just a person’s career path, but also the velocity of their professional growth. Speaking personally, I’ve been able to harness the benefits and manage the challenges. As for the ROI? While it may not be something you can put into a spreadsheet, I can confidently say - my parents have no regrets.