Workplace supervisors as coaches of transferable skills

Transferable skills are increasingly important in a world where technological disruption such as the rise of artificial intelligence will displace jobs globally (World Economic Forum, 2020). Workplace supervisors have an important role to play in developing such skills in students on work-based learning, closing the gap between the university and the industry (Feldman, 2016; Mullen et al, 2019). Coaching provides a way to critically involve the students in reflection and allow supervisors and students to engage in dialogues rather than monologues (Loughland et al, 2021). Co-creation of work-based learning goals can represent the first step in establishing a coaching relationship (Buchanan, 2022). In a study with nine work-based learning (WBL) supervisors of different backgrounds and experience, a coaching approach was found to increase the clarity of WBL supervisors on their role and the process of supervision, as well as improved satisfaction as someone significantly involved in the growth of the students that they had supervised. The study also uncovered challenges in the coaching approach and suggested that the both the supervisor and student need to have a mindset shift for the coaching methodology to be successful. The presentation aims to encourage workplace supervisors to consider coaching as a method to draw out the best in students and junior staff members alike and to harness the fulfillment of being a developer of human capabilities.<p></p>