The Importance of Soft Skills for Computing Graduates in the Context of the Fifth Industrial Revolution

The Fifth Industrial Revolution (5IR) embraces the concept of harmonious human–machine collaborations where the focus moves from the digital perspective of the 4IR to a more human perspective. The priority is the well-being of all stakeholders in society and business, necessitating an (r)evolution in thinking about how human–machine collaborations, can be leveraged for positive societal impact. Therefore, educators need to re-evaluate their curricula to consider these evolving needs and a competency-based approach, particularly for Computing graduates. The purpose of this paper is to report on the importance of developing the competencies needed by graduates of Computing programmes in the era of 5IR, which requires strong soft skills. The exploratory research used a Systematic Literature Review and a qualitative research approach based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. The findings revealed that Computing curricula need to carefully consider and address a wide, diverse range of the required competencies needed by their graduates, to support human–machine interaction, organizational transformation, and productivity. These competencies range from highly technical competencies to soft skills such as attitude, motivation, collaborative and team competencies, and interpersonal skills. The study recommends a strategic approach encouraging regular reviews of Computing curricula and a competency-based method that balances technical and soft skills within a culture of promoting the self-confidence of graduates.