The importance of developing soft skills proficiency among students should be the priority of all the tertiary institutions in order to ensure their graduates are marketable. Therefore, it is essential for tertiary Institutions to distinguish the knowledge and soft skill levels of their students so that strategies and intervention could be implemented to rectify their capabilities. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge and soft skills proficiency from the librarian’s viewpoints on the Tai Solarin University, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State students participating in the industrial training programme. A total of 120 students from different industrial backgrounds had participated in this study. A questionnaire consisting of five dimensions of soft skills which are basic knowledge, communication skills, practical skills, leadership, and attitude was utilized to collect data. The results of this study indicate that the information professionals were satisfied with the knowledge and soft skills proficiency portrayed by TASUED students in preparing themselves for the real work environment. The information professionals from the service were satisfied with students’ performance in all dimensions of soft skills measured. However, information professionals from the technical service division perceived as moderate satisfaction for all dimensions of soft skills. Additionally, the information professionals of the technical service division assessed by giving the lowest satisfaction score for “hands-on” skills, but generally they satisfied with the students’ communication skills. The information gathered can provide important insights from the perspective of faculties which is valuable in improving the overall hard and soft skills proficiency for future information professionals.
Keywords: Soft Skills, Students performance, industrial training, information professionals
