Some People Think That Social Skills Are as Important as Academic Qualifications. to What Extent Do You Agree with This?

In the Asian education system, academic achievement is heavily emphasized and

prized. This is especially true in China. A student’s career depends solely on his

performance in a single examination, specifically the ‘Gaokao’ which is the Chinese

college entrance examination. In this important examination, students are only tested on

their academic ability. As such, it sends a signal to the students that academic

qualifications take precedence over other skills including social skills. However, I

personally think that both social skills and academic qualifications are equally important

in finding success in one’s respective career. Academic qualifications are important as

they demonstrate that one has the relevant knowledge and competencies of a certain

level. Social skills are also of paramount importance since it allows one to cooperate

with other people as well as to influence people to follow him. Therefore, both

complement one another.

Academic qualifications are a necessity for a person to enter any professional careers

as these qualifications indicate one’s proficiency in his field of expertise. For instance,

to be doctor, one must have in-depth understanding of the human anatomy as well as

surgical skills to perform an operation. One’s possession of these skills can only be

proven through the attainment of a medical degree. Without this qualification, he is

deemed unfit for the job as he does not have the evidence to show that he has the

necessary skill sets to practice as a doctor. In fact, different professions require different

sets of skills and one’s competency in these skills can only be shown in his certification.

Hence, academic qualifications are important for one to embark on any profession of

choice.

However, if one only focuses on pursuing academic qualifications at the expense of

neglecting other life skills such social skills, he may not be able to work in a professional

environment where teamwork is essential in completing a task. In the modern

workplace, employees are not