Professional Skills: From Campus to Career

The Department of Computer Science and the Department of Statistics & Data Science, School of Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Pune Lavasa Campus, organized an interactive professional development session titled “Professional Skills: From Campus to Career” on 18 September 2026 at the Auditorium, Management Block. The session was conducted by Ms. Rashmi Saha, Life Transformation Coach, Counselling Psychologist, and Founder of Mukty Mission, for final-year undergraduate and first-year postgraduate students.

The session focused on strengthening essential professional competencies that complement students’ academic and technical knowledge. It addressed interpersonal skills, effective communication, active listening, body language, professional grooming, workplace etiquette, confidence, adaptability, teamwork, and professional conduct. The resource person emphasized that professional readiness involves not only subject expertise but also the ability to communicate clearly, interact respectfully, understand non-verbal cues, and build positive relationships.

The session adopted an experiential and participatory approach, enabling students to practise professional and interpersonal skills through engaging activities. One of the key activities, “Getting to Know Someone New,” required students to interact with a randomly selected peer whom they did not know well. Through conversations about hobbies, interests, experiences, and memorable moments, students had an opportunity to initiate discussions, listen attentively, identify common interests, and build rapport. They subsequently shared an interesting aspect they had learned about their partner with the larger group. This activity encouraged students to move beyond familiar social circles and develop confidence in communicating with new people.

Another engaging activity involved “Random Group Formation.” Students were instructed to form groups according to randomly announced numbers, such as seven or fifteen. They had to quickly identify their group members, assemble together, and participate as a team. The activity promoted responsiveness, adaptability, coordination, teamwork, and communication with unfamiliar individuals. It also demonstrated the importance of being comfortable in changing situations and collaborating effectively with diverse groups, qualities that are valuable in professional workplaces.

The interactive session created opportunities for students to reflect on their communication styles and professional behaviour. Discussions on body language and professional presentation helped students understand the significance of posture, eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, grooming, and overall appearance in professional interactions. The emphasis on workplace etiquette further highlighted the importance of respect, courtesy, active listening, appropriate communication, punctuality, responsibility, and professional conduct.

The session successfully achieved its intended goals by providing students with practical opportunities to develop interpersonal communication, active listening, confidence, teamwork, adaptability, and professional interaction skills. Students actively participated in activities that simulated real-world situations involving networking, collaboration, group interaction, and communication with unfamiliar individuals.

Overall, the programme served as a meaningful bridge between campus learning and professional expectations. By combining guidance with practical activities, the session encouraged students to learn, interact, practice, and reflect. The experience equipped students with greater awareness of the interpersonal and professional behaviours required for interviews, placements, internships, higher education, networking, and future workplace environments, and contribute positively to professional teams and organizations, thereby supporting their transition from campus to career with greater confidence and preparedness.