The Soft Skills Superpower: Why Non-Technical Training is the True Game-Changer – by Grace Kiraguri

As a trainer deeply involved in the She Delivers program, I have witnessed countless transformations. Every new cohort arrives with a mix of anticipation and apprehension, but their initial posture often mirrors a common reality: many of our brilliant young women start off timid, shy, and unsure—especially when facing the historically male-dominated transport and logistics industry in Kenya.

They arrive seeking to master the hard skills in logistics and transport—driving heavy commercial vehicles, dismantling engines, managing supply chains—and rightly so. These are the technical foundations of the logistics sector. However, my most profound observation over the cohorts is that the true game-changer is the soft skills training, the non-technical professional development we provide alongside technical instruction.

These soft skills are the main difference between the women who arrive at She Delivers and the confident, articulate, and fiercely capable professionals who complete the internship. Soft skills training bridges the gap between the student who whispers a question and the professional who confidently leads a team meeting in a logistics operation.

This game-changing soft skills development is delivered through our curriculum via targeted sessions in communication skills, confidence building, emotional intelligence, financial literacy, and personal branding for women in logistics.

Why Soft Skills Matter in a Hard Hat World

Competence in transport and logistics is non-negotiable, but competence alone will not secure leadership roles or foster women entrepreneurship in logistics. In developing the She Delivers curriculum, we were intentional about the reality that these women are not just filling logistics job vacancies they are pioneering a path in an industry where they are often the only female professional in the room.

This environment requires a level of mental resilience, leadership confidence, and workplace adaptability that technical training alone cannot provide. For this reason, we incorporated well-structured non-technical modules—key among them being:

1. Communication and Confidence: Finding Your Voice

The most immediate change we see is in professional communication. When our interns arrive, many struggle with public speaking, assertive communication, or even asking for clarification. This hesitation is a major vulnerability in a fast-paced logistics and transport environment.

Through modules focused on professional etiquette, assertive communication, and presentation skills, they learn to articulate their technical knowledge with authority. A woman who can clearly, concisely, and confidently report a safety issue or negotiate a route is perceived not just as competent, but as a leader in logistics operations. Confidence becomes the shield they need against long-standing gender stereotypes in the transport sector.

2. Emotional Intelligence: Navigating the Workplace

The She Delivers curriculum rightly prioritizes emotional intelligence in the workplace. In an industry known for high pressure, long hours, and operational stress, emotional intelligence is critical for:

• Conflict Resolution: Learning to manage stress, set professional boundaries, and resolve disputes constructively supports long-term career growth in logistics.

• Team Dynamics: Emotional intelligence allows interns to read the room, motivate colleagues, and build strong professional networks—essential skills for future logistics managers and supervisors.

• Safety: A calm, emotionally intelligent driver or operator is, ultimately, a safer and more reliable professional.

3. Financial Literacy and Independence: The Entrepreneurial Mindset

A significant aspiration across all She Delivers cohorts is financial independence and entrepreneurship. While the interns gain technical capabilities in driving and mechanical operations, they also need business and financial skills to truly thrive.

Training in budgeting, saving, and basic business principles transforms a skilled employee into a potential logistics business owner. This financial literacy training empowers women to manage income effectively, make informed career decisions, and ultimately become employers—creating more opportunities for other women in transport and logistics.

4. Personal Branding and Self-Esteem: Becoming an Ambassador

Every She Delivers intern graduates with the goal of becoming an active alumna and ambassador for women in logistics. This is only possible when they fully recognize their own value and professional identity.

Our personal branding modules help interns cultivate a strong, confident professional presence. They learn to see themselves not merely as interns, but as trailblazers, role models, and change agents in the transport industry. Their success becomes a visible and empowering narrative for every young woman considering a career in logistics.

The True Game-Changer

Through this holistic training approach, the successful She Delivers graduate is not just a woman who knows how to reverse a truck or procure spare parts. She is a professional who:

• Speaks up with clarity and conviction

• Leads teams with empathy and emotional balance

• Manages her finances to build long-term independence

• Stands tall as a confident, resilient, and highly competent ambassador for women in logistics

This holistic development is the Soft Skills Superpower. It equips our interns and graduates not only to meet the technical demands of the logistics and transport industry, but to actively transform its culture—ensuring women are seen, heard, and valued not as exceptions, but as the new standard of excellence.

Through the She Delivers program, our interns do not just gain skills; they gain the tools to shatter the glass ceiling in logistics and light the way for generations of women to come.