Key points:

• A new report urges policymakers to help students develop career-ready skills at each level of education
• 3 lessons on perseverance from a honey badger
• Are you tackling the durable skills challenge?
• For more news on career-ready skills, visit eSN’s Innovative Teaching page

This article was originally published by SREB and is reposted with permission.

Communication, teamwork and problem-solving are clear priorities among success skills that employers seek, according to a new report by the Southern Regional Education Board.  

The Skills Employers Demand: An Analysis of the Research summarizes 10 years of studies, from 2013 to 2023, and analyzes job postings in the 16 SREB states.  

The report is designed to help educators and policymakers as they integrate these skills into what students learn in K-12, dual enrollment and postsecondary education. SREB’s Dual Enrollment Initiative includes a focus on skills for careers of the future.  

Success skills ─ sometimes called soft, durable, non-technical or employability skills ─ are personal qualities that advance careers and increase productivity. 

“At a time when we’re all learning how AI can do routine tasks, these are the qualities that set humans apart from machines,” said SREB President Stephen L. Pruitt. 

The most sought-after success skills across industries were remarkably consistent in academic and business studies: 

• Communication, oral and written 
• Teamwork and collaboration 
• Problem solving and critical thinking 

Supervision and management also emerged as a top skill in health care and STEM industries, where SREB predicts the largest workforce gaps in Southern states.  

“There is growing demand for these success skills, which are associated with higher earnings, adaptability, career progression, resilience and productivity,” said Courtney Leidner, SREB research analyst and author of the study.

For Educators and Policymakers
Promising Strategies to Build Success Skills  

“Building a plan to change instruction and integrate these skills into all programs of study is an important step,” said Dale Winkler, SREB senior vice president for school improvement. “SREB is committed to helping states and schools tailor strategies for their local areas.” 

Many SREB states are working to incorporate success skills into what students learn, from K-12 through postsecondary education. In addition to course standards, research suggests these strategies: 

• Tailor success skills to high-demand industries in your state or community by examining local job data.  
• Develop a cohesive approach across K-12, two-year and four-year colleges. 
• Use widely recognized credentials with clear criteria from reputable organizations. Credentialing can show employers that high school or college students have passed skills assessments.  
• Offer project-based and work-based learning experiences. 

Work-based learning allows students to learn to function in the workplace through mentoring, internships, apprenticeships or on-the-job training. It can begin in earlier grades with guest speakers, workplace tours and job shadowing 

Project-based learning, where students learn through practice and feedback on authentic, concrete projects, may be particularly effective in developing collaboration, adaptability and management skills. 

Key points:

• A classroom that values perseverance is a safe space for students to take chances
• Setting goals is another key part of creating an environment of perseverance
• See related article: 3 ways teachers can drive student growth

Have you ever heard the story of Stoffel the honey badger? Stoffel was rescued by a wildlife rehabilitation center after being injured by a pride of lions and quickly became infamous for his many escape attempts.

No matter what his caretakers did to deter him, Stoffel always found a way to escape his enclosure. First, he taught his fellow honey badger how they could work together to open the door to their habitat. Then, he began using tools and objects to scale the walls when his caretakers weren’t looking. At one point, he even built a small ramp over the wall using accumulated mud and debris. Suffice it to say, Stoffel knew a thing or two about perseverance.

As an educator, I’ve found myself reflecting on the nature of perseverance as the new school year begins. The landscape of education is always changing, and today’s students are facing hurdles that would leave even experienced academics feeling overwhelmed. We should all be taking a lesson from Stoffel the honey badger and cultivating a mindset of perseverance. Like any discipline, though, perseverance must be understood before it can be applied successfully. But what does that look like in the classroom? And how can educators teach students the value of perseverance in a way that’s memorable, meaningful, and fun? Here are just three strategies to consider:

1. Create an environment of perseverance: To paraphrase The Magic School Bus, the classroom should be a place where students can take chances, make mistakes, and get messy! Teachers can help by creating opportunities for students to put these values into practice.

One helpful strategy to consider is the Mistake of the Week. Celebrate mistakes as a learning opportunity by having students nominate one mistake that really helped the class understand something more clearly. Be sure to practice positive self-talk as well. Sometimes teaching students the right words of encouragement can be the key to boosting their resolve.

2. Give them a running start: It’s easy to forget that students are still growing into themselves. They’re in the process of discovering their interests, their talents, their limitations, and how to overcome them. To foster perseverance, educators need to give their students the space they need to grow. One way to do this is through Tinker Time. Allow students some time to tinker with materials or ideas just for the fun of it. They can also expand on ideas in a variety of ways and directions. Tinker time is a great way to begin investigations and tap into students’ prior knowledge, and it has the benefit of encouraging risk-taking and student curiosity.

3. Set goals: We want to start students off with challenges they can manage.This means learning to differentiate depending on the student. Think of it like this–if someone is new to jogging, their first goal should be running a 10K, not a marathon. When students can see progress, they gain a sense of accomplishment pushing them forward. Students can create their own goals and record, or teachers can create goals for a particular task or project. As a bonus, this is a great way to provide formative feedback to your students on how well they are doing along the way.

Perseverance demands flexibility and patience, both from us and our students. However, Stoffel reminds us that when we practice perseverance, we’re rewarded with growth, new opportunities, and a wonderful sense of accomplishment. So this fall, let’s all try to be honey badgers. Let’s remember to persevere and face every new challenge with creativity, enthusiasm, and grit.    

Related: 4 ways to enhance critical thinking skills

Critical thinking is plainly in decline.  Everywhere we look, people are uncritically consuming and spreading information that is distorted, misleading, and sometimes intentionally deceptive. Conspiracy thinking is rampant–QAnon, Alex Jones and the Sandy Hook shooting, Pizzagate, and unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud are just a few of the most notorious examples. The very foundations of our democracy are arguably at risk when millions are willing to believe irrational and unfounded claims.

Nobel prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman (Thinking Fast and Slow) demonstrated that we’re generally inclined to draw conclusions based on gut instincts, thereby avoiding the hard work of closely examining evidence.  Psychologists and neuroscientists have shown that we are subject to “confirmation bias,” the tendency to believe whatever reinforces our prior views and to disbelieve what challenges them. We are especially prone to this bias if changing our views would be costly–financially, to our reputation, or to our identity. These natural tendencies, exacerbated by the pervasiveness of social media and the limitless access to information on the internet, leave us vulnerable to being duped by disinformation.

But we are not defenseless.  There are some simple exercises we can use to combat both our natural instincts and the rising tide of digital misinformation.  

1. Explore context. Whatever you read comes from someone with a particular history, perspective, and set of interests.  Ask yourself: Who is this person?  Where are they coming from, literally and figuratively? What might s/he stand to gain by persuading us of this? 

2. Consider alternatives.  Any position you encounter is only one of many possibilities.  What other explanations might there be for this event?  How else could we interpret this person’s words or actions?  What other solution to this problem might be possible?

3. Weigh evidence.  A position is only as strong as the evidence that supports it.  Ask yourself: Is there enough evidence here to support the conclusion presented?  Was that evidence gathered in an objective, non-biased way? Was potentially disconfirming evidence overlooked or suppressed?

4. Look at implications. The value of an idea is measured in part by what follows from it. If this is really true, what else would we expect to find? If this policy were adopted, what do we actually know about the downstream effects? Even if this appears reasonable, does it lead to absurd conclusions?

When we ask these questions and others like them, we refuse to accept things at face value. We cultivate a skeptical frame of mind, a willingness to investigate even things that look plausible at first glance. And we are especially skeptical of things–claims about the efficacy of medical treatments, the cause of a social problem, or benefits of a political policy–if they seem farfetched or at odds with ordinary experience. As Isaac Asimov said, “I believe in evidence. I’ll believe anything, no matter how wild and ridiculous, if there is evidence for it. The wilder and more ridiculous something is, however, the firmer and more solid the evidence will have to be.” 

To think critically is to ask these and similar probing questions consistently and relentlessly. We must ask them so routinely that they become second nature to us.  We should teach our children to adopt this practice of thinking critically, and we should model it for them, as well as for our friends, neighbors, and co-workers on a daily basis. This requires concerted effort, for while the basic questions are simple, the practice of thinking critically is difficult. It’s no wonder that we tend to avoid it.

The world will never be free of charlatans, demagogues, and others peddling half-truths or blatant lies for their own purposes. Our best defense is to develop the habit of asking these critical questions. In the final analysis, our willingness to do so affirms our fundamental responsibility to distinguish truth from falsehood and deception.  Given all that is at stake for us as individuals, and as a society, we can hardly afford to shirk that responsibility.

Related:
4 ideas to infuse critical thinking in ELA and social studies
How to educate in the 4th Industrial Revolution

Far fewer female high school graduates say they feel prepared to decide on a career path compared to male high school graduates, according to the second part of a national student survey, Post-Graduation Readiness Report Part II, with additional findings focused on disparities between male and female high school graduates.

While part I of the report from YouScience revealed that almost all high school graduates (75 percent) do not feel prepared to make college or career decisions after graduation, the newest findings reveal imbalances between male and female graduates in relation to college and career readiness. The national online survey polled more than 500 male and female high school graduates from the classes of 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

The survey highlights how the lack of career exposure can lead to feelings of uncertainty for all students when it comes to post-high school readiness, however males felt more confident to make a choice after graduation simply due to being more exposed to more career options: only 41% of female high school graduates stated that they felt prepared to make a career choice or declare a major upon graduation compared to 57% of males.

Earlier research conducted by YouScience indicated a gender gap exists between male and female students in career interest. While female students possess strong aptitude for technology-based careers, their interest in those careers is low compared to those of their male counterparts. For example, female students have almost 10x the aptitude for advanced manufacturing careers than interest, while males are closer with 2x the aptitude than interest. This disparity can be partially attributed to the exposure gap – the lack of exposure or knowledge of jobs and careers – experienced by students in high school, which the latest survey data confirms.

While a career exposure gap exists among all students, male students appear to have a slight edge on their female counterparts. According to this latest research, nearly 60% of female high school graduates reported not being exposed to a wide enough variety of options for college and career versus less than 30% of males feeling the same lack of exposure. More male graduates (78%) also reported having a conversation with a teacher or school counselor about post-high school opportunities than female graduates (63%).

“There is no question that an exposure gap to potential careers exists for all students in education today. However, given that female students have great aptitude for in-demand careers — such as those in technology — we must also acknowledge and address the gap that persists between male and female students within the same schools,” said Jeri Larsen, Chief Operating Officer at YouScience. “By improving career exposure for everyone and partnering more closely with industry, we have a greater chance of solving workforce issues such as the limited pool of skilled talent. Equitable education and exposure for all students is needed now more than ever.”

Additional findings of the survey include:

Male high school graduates felt more prepared and/or confident

• 45% of males feel that they are in a job that they like or that is putting them on a good career path compared to 27% of females
• 68% of males are where they want to be in their education or career path compared to 57% of females

Female high school graduates felt less exposed to education or career options in high school

• Nearly one-third (32%) of females said they were rarely or never exposed to a variety of career options during high school compared to 22% of males
• Only 50% of females reported knowing that CTE courses were available versus 70% of males that were aware of them

Despite feeling confident and/or prepared to make educational or career choices, male high school graduates have changed their college majors more often than females

• 67% of males have changed their major since initial selection compared to 50% of females
• 59% of males have changed their major two or more times since initial selection compared to 46% of females

Related:
How to prepare students for the jobs of the future
5 skills for future success–and how to help students develop the

This press release originally appeared online.

The 4th Industrial Revolution is the current phase of rapid technological change. It is also known as Industry 4.0, and the advent of robotics, artificial intelligence, and automation has marked it. Klaus Schwab coined the term in 2013 in his book “The Fourth Industrial Revolution.” He defines it as “a new stage of industrialization characterized by a fusion of technologies blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres.”

The 4th Industrial Revolution is a time of significant change. It is a time when new technologies and innovations are transforming the world. The role of educators in this revolution will be to prepare students for the future. Educators are uniquely positioned to help students understand how these changes will affect their lives and careers. They can also help students learn how to use these technologies responsibly and ethically.

How Technology is Changing the Way We Learn

The educational system is changing with the introduction of new technologies. But what are the benefits and drawbacks of this change? The benefit of this change is that students can learn at their own pace in a way that is most effective for them. The drawback is that we need to retain some of the human aspects of education. Students don’t get to interact with their teachers in person or have human-to-human interactions, which could be beneficial.

The impact of technology on our society has created a need for educators to understand the new skills and knowledge needed in the workforce. The 4th Industrial Revolution will require students to be creative, collaborative, and critical thinkers. The current curriculum needs to be updated, but the skills needed are within our reach. We must first recognize the need for a shift and then work to operationalize the changes necessary to prepare our students for the future.

The Future of Education in a World of AI and Automation

With the advent of AI and automation, education has to change. It is no longer enough to have a degree and expect it to put you ahead in the workforce. AI is going to be taking over many jobs in the future. And what are people going to do? That’s right; they’ll learn more skills to keep up with AI and automation. The future of education must focus on teaching people how to learn new skills quickly, find information, assess information for accuracy, and make decisions based on evidence.

The future of education is a topic that has been debated for decades. With the rise of AI and automation, traditional education’s role is becoming more uncertain. AI and automation are changing how we work, live, and learn. These changes will shape the future of education. Education is intertwined with many complex global issues, such as long-range employment forecasts and economic markets. As automation and AI continue to grow, the debate over their use in the workforce has intensified. Some argue that automation could lead to mass unemployment, while others see it as an opportunity for growth. As educators, our charge is to ensure that our students are enrolled, enlisted, or employed. The future’s changing landscape must be considered during curriculum development and delivery.

The Future of Education in a World of AI and Automation

Some people believe that AI will be able to replace teachers in the near future. They argue that it will be easier for students to learn from an AI than from a human teacher. Others believe that AI will not be able to replace teachers because they are more than just educators; they are mentors and guides who help students grow into responsible adults; who can adapt to the issues that they face in life. The future of education is becoming more and more automated. With AI’s help, teachers can focus on what they do best: teaching.

The balance of AI and high-quality teaching should be the target of our instructional programs in school. The 4th Industrial Revolution has already begun; it’s time for educators to join the revolution and partner with businesses and industry to continue to educate our students for the world of tomorrow.

Related:
How to educate in the 4th industrial revolution

When I ask educators if they have heard of the term “growth mindset,” many will raise their hands or nod they have. However, when I ask educators to define what it means to have a growth mindset, I often get blank stares or they struggle with putting it into words. 

This is one of the issues educators might be struggling with – well-researched concepts like growth mindset sound familiar, but there is little guidance on putting these concepts into practice.

If we are to truly close educational gaps, educators must believe in and must be empowered to make a difference and put a plan in place to support student success.

Focus on Collective Teacher Efficacy

Professor John Hattie defines “collective teacher efficacy” as “the collective self-perception that teachers in a given school make an educational difference to their students over and above the educational impact of their homes and communities.” 

In this video, Hattie discusses collective teacher efficacy in greater depth. He shares how educators need to start taking credit for the learning happening in their classrooms by believing they are the ones causing that learning. This is an important first step.

Understanding learning does not just happen by chance is foundational for success. Educators who believe in student growth and achievement are the reason students grow. This is because these educators know how to plan for success and, in turn, set up the right environments to foster learning.

Understand Learning Beliefs

To develop collective teacher efficacy, it’s important for educators to take time to dig into their own learning beliefs by answering questions such as:

• What are your beliefs about learning?
• What are the steps you take to learn something new?
• How do you learn best?

For maximum impact, educators can do this activity in PLCs. Administrators or coaches can pose the questions and have everyone do a five-minute quick write to collect their thoughts. Then these thoughts can be shared – and discussed – with the group. Educators can even create posters with these learning beliefs that can be hung in the teacher lounge or classrooms. This can also be done online using Padlet, for example.

Once educators understand their own learning beliefs, it’s important to understand what it means to have high expectations for all students. The best way is to do this is by asking additional questions such as:

• What are your non-negotiables for classrooms?
• What does an inclusive and productive learning community look and feel like at your school for all students? Teachers?
• What are your expectations for your educators and students when it comes to data-driven instruction?

For higher impact, educators can repeat the same discussion and collaboration activities completed for the collective teacher efficacy questions with these questions about learning beliefs. Taking this extra time to clarify expectations and learning beliefs sets the foundation for proactive planning for student success.

Develop a Plan for Success

Next, it is important to set aside TIME to plan. In planning, it’s essential for educators to devise instructional strategies for whole group, small group, and independent instruction for all students, keeping grade-level standards and outcomes in mind.  There are online resources available, such as this step-by-step guide, to help with this planning.  

During the planning phase, educators should consider focusing on building can-do cultures, providing scaffold and support for grade-level success, promoting student self-efficacy, involving families, and thinking differently about structures and schedules. Collectively, these different areas will help accelerate student learning for grade-level success and ensure equitable outcomes and growth for all students.

When thinking about closing gaps and planning for success for all students, educators need time, resources, and support to plan. Equally important, they need to understand their key role in student success – they are, after all, the ones driving student learning and achievement!

Related:
Are you tackling the durable skills challenge?
5 skills for future success–and how to help students develop them

Just for a moment, think about your physical environment. Perhaps you’re taking your lunch break in your car that has satellite radio and reading this article on a mobile device. Maybe you’re at home on your computer where you’ve got another browser tab open, creating a meeting agenda in Google Drive to share with your colleagues. 

Evidence that we’re in the middle of the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) is all around us. From the mobile device that can connect you via FaceTime or Slack with co-workers worldwide to cloud computing, we operate in a time and space marked by its reliance on artificial intelligence, blockchain, big data, the Internet of Things, and automation.

As individuals interested in empowering the next generation of young people to succeed, it is time to ensure that the field of education is appropriately responding to the 4IR, which has impacted nearly every industry in recent years. The question, then, is how can we ensure that we educate students to succeed in a world dominated by the 4IR?

Education Lags Behind Industry

Industry reacts to the market’s wants and needs as soon as an opportunity to make a profit presents itself. It adopts lightning-speed technologies and uses them in new ways every day. Industry is structured to pivot at a moment’s notice and to innovate rapidly. However, the same cannot be said for the field of education.

Although education is intended to prepare students to live and work successfully in the world as adults, it is currently not prepared to help them do so in the world of the 4IR. This is mainly because education is not as responsive to the needs of industry that lives and breathes the 4IR. Young learners finish school without the mindset and skills necessary to thrive in this environment.

What We Can Do About It

1. Change How We Think.

Partnerships between educational institutions and industry have increased over the decades to help ensure that students graduate with needed skills. However, they have resulted in education that supports learners being able to do a particular job instead of any kind of work, which is necessary for working in the 4IR.

2. Teach the Right Skills.

Students must learn technical skills to navigate life and work in the 4IR successfully. They need to know how to film, make podcasts, blog, and build wikis, for example. Additionally, they need to become adept at different skills, like creativity, working in teams, innovation, time management, communication, and critical thinking. A 2020 World Economic Forum report states that “critical thinking and analysis as well as problem-solving, and skills in self-management such as active learning, resilience, stress tolerance and flexibility” are critical to business leaders.

These skills help students to make the most of existing and new technologies, both now and in the future. If they can learn to think outside the box, they are better prepared to take charge of their learning and become life-long learners.

3. Create Independent, Life-Long Learners.

Upending traditional classrooms and encouraging students to try and fail, collaborate, and innovate is the key to helping students take charge of their learning and encourage their internal motivation and curiosity.

What’s wrong with the memorize and regurgitate educational model? It doesn’t prepare students to work in a world where they will have to learn new skills to stay current and relevant constantly.

A 2017 Institute for the Future and Dell Technologies report states that “around 85% of the jobs that today’s learners will be doing in 2030 haven’t been invented yet.” Furthermore, the World Economic Forum indicates that “by 2025, 85 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labor between humans and machines, while 97 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to the new division of labor between humans, machines and algorithms.” Students in classrooms today must be prepared for jobs that don’t even exist yet, and the best way to do that is to prepare them to be self-managing learners who are driven to continue learning throughout their careers.

4. Update Curricula and Its Delivery.

Integrating ideas from STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) with curricula and industry needs is a crucial step in bringing education current with the reality of the 4IR. Reimagining what a classroom looks like is another critical step. Flexible classrooms focusing on teachers facilitating instead of giving knowledge and on students’ interests and abilities will help students develop the skills necessary to succeed in a changing world of technology.

Content should also be participatory and personalized. It should be participatory in creating opportunities for learners to think critically about it. Instead of multiple-choice quizzes that assess their knowledge, learners can apply the knowledge to their learning contexts, which makes it more personalized.

Additionally, content should be delivered in group-based situations, encouraging debate and communication of opinions and information. This promotes the development of the crucial communication skills needed for the 4IR. Groups can also work together to create products that practically demonstrate their learning. This also allows them to evaluate and innovate, further improving their 4IR skills.

Changing how content is delivered is another vital facet of making education more compatible with the 4IR. MOOCs and mobile-accessible learning help create self-guided learning experiences that students can utilize to learn new skills relevant to their particular contexts.

Where to Next?

As we–as parents, formal educators, administrators, and invested community members–reflect on how to prepare our learners for the future, we must focus on equipping them with the skills they need. They need to think big and have the self-confidence to roll with the changes the world will continue to throw at them and use those changes to improve their lives and the world. By rethinking and restructuring education to align with the challenges and opportunities of the 4IR, we are better situated to successfully empower learners for their futures.

 A new effort to evaluate the “durable” skills that lead to success and achievement in the 21^st century workforce was launched this spring by nonprofit organizations America Succeeds and CompTIA.

America Succeeds and CompTIA are collaborating on ways to integrate durable skills into education pathways – in the classroom for future workers and in employee training for individuals already in the workforce – to prepare them for success in their careers and communities.

“Durable skills are the skills that last a lifetime, the skills that you use to demonstrate what you know and the skills that employers are looking for,” said Tim Taylor, co-founder and president of America Succeeds, a national nonprofit that is committed to engaging business leaders in accelerating equity, access, and opportunity in education.

“We believe helping students better develop their innate durable skills at an early age will help them compete, contribute, and thrive in their careers,” said Todd Thibodeaux president and CEO of CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

Durable skills, also referred to as soft skills, human skills or 21^st century skills, can be difficult to define or quantify. Generally, they fall under ten major themes or competencies:
1. Leadership
2. Collaboration
3. Creativity
4. Metacognition
5. Growth mindset
6. Character
7. Communication
8. Critical thinking
9. Mindfulness
10. Fortitude

The first step planned by America Succeeds and CompTIA is to bring employers together to define a common rubric of the durable skills that apply across industries and occupations with the goal of developing a method to assess an individual’s competency level and understanding of durable skills and identify actions that can enhance them.

Separate research by the two organizations suggests that employers are interested in identifying job candidates with these skillsets and providing training to close the durable skills gap:

• Seven of the ten most requested skills in jobs postings are durable skills.
• Employers seek these skills nearly five times more frequently than the top five technical or hard skills.
• Two-thirds of HR professionals say durables skills are becoming more important and more of a focus, though half acknowledge some degree of confusion and challenges with soft skills/durable skills.
• Sixty-eight percent of HR professionals believe most or all the top 10 durable skills categories can be taught.

“Employers clearly recognize the importance and value of recruiting people with solid durable skills, especially in a tight labor market with little margin for error in hiring decisions,” Thibodeaux said. “The challenge is finding a way to accurately and fairly assess a candidate’s prowess in these areas. We’re committed to finding solutions to solve this dilemma, in a way that eliminates barriers and creates opportunities for a more inclusive group of job candidates.”

“As we begin to recover from the pandemic, it is essential that we address the inequities that have been amplified, and at the same time reimagine and restructure education systems and career pathways to work better for all,” said Taylor. “Defining and assessing durable skills allows us to focus on those solutions and see a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Material from a press release was used in this report.

The price of a college degree continues to creep higher across the country. But has the value of that degree kept pace? Students expect their investment in college to pay off in the form of meaningful employment. However, according to new data, both recent grads and HR managers believe that the absence of durable skills–including people skills–training in higher education offers an opportunity for colleges and universities to partner with students and employers in closing a critical skills gap. 

A new report from Mursion, From Skill to Instinct: How Higher Education Can Bridge the Gap Between Classroom and Career, found that while the hard, technical skills ingrained throughout traditional academia are critical to career success, these skills may not be enough to stand out in a highly competitive job market.

In fact, the data revealed that 44 percent of HR professionals would hire an applicant with strong durable skills, such as superior people skills, over an applicant with superior hard skills.

The report illustrates how this new skills gap is widening and reveals the implications it may have for the future if no formal action is taken. The data highlights an opportunity for higher education institutions to step in and not only increase the value of their offering, but to help mold a future workforce with the social instincts to collaborate and work together successfully. 

Main highlights from the data include:

While the general importance of people skills in the workplace is uncontested, expectations have diverged. Hiring and HR managers are looking for high levels of collaboration, while recent graduates are focused on individual skills:

• 65 percent of HR professionals believe teamwork and collaboration are the most foundational people skills–and 40 percent believe these skills are the most lacking in new hires
• Only 37 percent of recent graduates believe they need to develop better teamwork skills, instead putting their focus on presenting (41 percent) and negotiation (40 percent)

The pandemic and sequential shift to remote work are only widening this new skills gap:

• Before the pandemic, HR professionals rated the people skills of existing employees as average or below average–close to half (47 percent) believe that the pandemic has made these skills even worse
• Recent graduates reported missing out on traditional in-person facilities or events that may have acted as a launching pad for their careers

“It may seem natural to assume that recent college graduates and other emerging professionals will ultimately learn how to navigate challenging office personality types and advance their careers,” said Mark Atkinson, CEO and co-founder of Mursion. “But we can’t afford to assume that all recent graduates are autodidacts when it comes to foundational human skills. To learn any new skill and make it instinctual, people need practice, guidance and reflection. They need the opportunity to fail in a psychologically safe space so they can pinpoint their mistakes and try again until mastery is achieved.”

Material from a press release was used in this report.

From the classroom to the district director level, and eventually my own desk in the principal’s office, I have served in many different roles in K-12 education.

However, in the midst of my career, I left public education to spend 2 years in corporate America.  That experience, working in what some call the “real world,” has given me a somewhat different perspective from many of my peers.  By working the corporate world, I’ve seen the connections between what is taught in the classroom and how that knowledge is applied in the workplace. 

Perhaps more importantly, I believe I have pinpointed five abilities all students need to develop before leaving K-12 schooling behind and moving into the world we call adulthood. 

Among those abilities are:

1. Critical thinking: Many folks go through the motions in their working lives–following directions, meeting quotas, and, simply put, people pleasing! However, those individuals who question everything, refute the status quo, and take risks are often rewarded for their initiative. As a middle and high school teacher these days, I help students become thinkers first and foremost. Yes, I am a STEM teacher, but not one of the fields that make up STEM can be explored with any level of success without independent thinking.

One resource I use to teach students how to think is Teach Different. Students paraphrase a simple quote, then look at the statement from an opposing lens, and eventually answer an essential question that makes each child truly take a side in the argument this process has created.

2. Making: While so many children grow up as “makers,” this thing called formal schooling often disrupts the natural progression of building creativity. Building blocks are replaced by textbooks, and natural curiosity (aka. trial and error) is stifled by standardized testing. In my class we use everything from pieces of cardboard and glue to metal scraps and a MIG welding machine to “make.” As the adult in the classroom, I do not assess this “making,” I simply encourage it by always providing new resources and materials in our classroom maker space. Next year we are going to build a sustainable 3D printing business, where scrap filament is not simply thrown in the trash, but instead recycled into new filament. Yes, it should be as cool as it sounds!

3. Knowing one’s options: I have spent well over half of my career working with underserved populations. Many times, the academic achievement gap is caused by the opportunity gap. Students do not go through school hoping to land in careers that they know nothing about, and often struggle in subject areas that are not being routinely encouraged by friends and family. Therefore, it is my job to show them different career paths that might not be commonplace in their community. The recently enhanced Discovery Education platform has great video compilations of amazing STEM jobs out there, some of which I had never heard of before myself. Knowing is only half the battle, though…

4. Responding to motivation: The debate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and the role of each in education, will likely never end. Yes, we want all students to be lifelong learners, but it is a lot easier to learn when you see risk followed by reward. While I have mentioned cash prizes to students for meeting certain goals, not one situation has come to fruition where I have had to pay up! At the same time though, a lot of big names such as Amazon are entering the education space to excite students through programs such as the Amazon Future Engineer program. With contests and prizes including scholarship money and Amazon Gift Cards (which to most is as good as cash), students will certainly buy into content a lot more quickly and willingly when they see a tangible outcome that includes recognition for their efforts!

5. The ability to network: One thing that some might be questioning is how does one go from a principal role back into the classroom? It might not be as easy as it sounds, but I had little problem leaving education, finding success in the financial world, and then returning to the school setting because of my connections. Some connections are personal ones, some professional ones, some at an organizational level, and some at a global level. The saying goes that it’s not about what you know, but who you know. I feel that it is about both! I currently consult with two edtech companies (one where my boss is in Australia) and talk to teachers literally all over the globe about these products. While my Twitter following is only nearing 2,500 (@mdsforthekids), I continue to network with fellow educators, innovators, entrepreneurs, and agents of change because you just never know when a different opportunity might present itself. 

I encourage my students to be on the lookout for opportunities to widen their network. I encourage them to, when they meet new people they want to stay in touch with, follow-up with a note or follow their social media accounts.  Reach out to them occasionally to say to hello, or to update them on a topic of mutual interest.  Building out a new network takes time, but it is well worth the energy you spend on it.

While there are many skills and abilities students need for future success, I believe these five are critical, core skills every student can use in pursuit of future success.  Now, it is up to us educators to create the learning experiences that will help students build these skills.

“We are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet exist … using technologies that haven’t been invented … in order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet.”—Richard Riley, former Secretary of Education 

Less than twenty years ago, a student saying that they wanted to be a data scientist, digital artist, app developer, virtual assistant or blogger would’ve been met with confused faces and the standard “what’s that?” question from parents and educators.  

You can’t blame them, most of those jobs (if they even existed yet) were just fringe roles on the outside of tech spaces. And at the time, education and job prep were still based on careers that had been solidified. But, the students of the time filled those new roles, many of them having to teach themselves how to effectively do the functions of each job.  

Today, many now wonder if the same thing will happen again with our current students and will there be a skills gap between graduates and careers? Well, it will. A 2018 report by the Institute for the Future (IFTF) said that 85 percent of the jobs that today’s students will do in 2030 don’t exist yet. So, how are we supposed to again prepare students for the jobs of the future, such as a self-driving car mechanic, telesurgeon, or whatever else we see appear?

We asked this question to some of our Connections Academy teachers. Being experienced educators in online learning (another field that didn’t exist 20 years ago), they’ve seen firsthand how the world has changed and how we can better prepare our students with the future job skills for it. Here is what they recommend:  

Teach students these three essential skills

Traditionally, you choose a field that interests you, decide on it as your major/career path and then follow the educational paths that have been laid out to prepare you for that role. But, with the future of work, that’s an outdated recipe. 

We can’t predict exactly what these careers will be. However, based on what we’ve already seen and the forecasts of economic experts, it’s better to prep students with these four future job skills that can be applied to many different future jobs: 

1. Complex Problem Solving

The days of insert material into machine, push button, remove product and start over are gone. Today, employees need to think independently, identify increasingly complex problems, and solve them or present ideas on how to solve them. 

In fact, the World Economic Forum report predicted that “in 2020, more than one-third (36%) of all jobs across all industries are expected to require complex problem-solving as one of their core skills.” Now that we’ve passed 2020, that number is way higher.  

Our teachers suggest using these methods to allow students to develop problem-solving skills: 

• Provide project-based learning opportunities that allow students to define a real-world problem and create and test solutions for it, like making a fruit battery out of a lemon. 
• Give students more responsibility for their learning pace as they advance through the school years. These three Connections Academy students graduated high school early by taking advantage of their online school schedule. 
• Track students’ problem solving in real-time through an education management system that helps you intervene with help when needed. 

2. Critical Thinking

Thanks to the digital age, we’re flooded with more information today than ever. But we’ve also seen that there are chunks of it that are false, which can cause students to get sucked down the rabbit hole of misinformation. Not only will this hurt their academics when they use unverified and/or misleading information to complete an assignment, but it will also hurt their chances at employment since they’ll abandon important critical thinking skills that employers will want. 

We need to teach students to think critically. This means differentiating between credible and noncredible sources; analyzing information for bias, logic and accuracy; and recombining that information to create new solutions and products. Some of the best ways to do this are to: 

• Set high information standards with multimedia resources from leading education publishers and providers. 
• Integrate critical thinking, research, and writing skills across content areas—from math to American history. 
• Help students sharpen those skills in online clubs and courses geared to their personal passions and career interests. 

3. Collaboration

Collaboration is more important than ever in today’s work environment. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic forced people into remote work and learning environments, the workplace silos (cubicles) were already trending down in favor of getting coworkers to interact with each other. Some industries have teams regularly connecting with co-workers all over the world through digital tools…an advantage that an online school graduate will already possess. 

According to our teachers, collaboration skills can be practiced and improved if you encourage your students to:  

• Work and learn online with peers from diverse backgrounds and geographic areas. 

• Team up on group projects where they learn to plan, delegate, communicate, and hold one another accountable for meeting a common goal. 
• Learn and practice foreign-language and cultural skills with native speakers online. 
• Use online collaboration tools respectfully and effectively for everything from the chat room to the virtual classroom. 

4. Life Skills 

Life skills—the abilities and behaviors that help you deal effectively with the challenges and pivots of everyday life—are skills that allow students to be as adaptable as possible. As future jobs and workplaces continue to evolve faster than ever, we know life skills will never become outdated: 

• Time management skills gained from setting up a schedule for class, studying, and eventually a work schedule, are critical in the future of work. 
• Organization skills like juggling homework, lessons, study breaks, and other priorities are other great life skills for kids to start mastering now. 

Learning these four skills will help prepare your child for wherever their career choice takes them in the unpredictable future of work. To help them begin the career exploration journey, check out 5 Ways to Help High School Students Pick a Career post. 

Fact: Every job in every sector will require soft skills. These soft skills include what many call durable skills—professional and personal competencies that span a person’s career—and they are requested in job postings much more frequently than hard skills.

A new report from student success nonprofit America Succeeds leverages data from 82 million employer job postings and reveals the critical importance of durable skills training for long-term success in the workforce.

These “soft” skills were requested in more than 50 million job ads–almost two-thirds of those studied. One-third of jobs (29 million) requested at least 3 durable skills, and of the 10 most in-demand skills across all postings, 7 were durable skills. The top 5 durable skills were requested almost 4 times more than the top 5 other skills.

These are some of the unique data points presented in The High Demand for Durable Skills. As defined in the new report, durable skills are the soft skills that comprise important professional capabilities (leadership, critical thinking, communication, etc.) and personal qualities (creativity, mindfulness, fortitude, etc.) that last throughout an entire career.

“The need for inclusive, soft skills-based education and hiring was apparent long before the pandemic but COVID-19 has greatly accelerated existing trends,” said Tim Taylor, co-founder and president of America Succeeds. “We launched this unique research initiative to start a national conversation around durable skills, so that schools understand the importance of educating for them and corporate leaders recognize the urgent need to partner with the education system to solve their workforce challenges.”

Using Emsi’s database of tens of millions of employer job postings from the past two years, America Succeeds categorized 100 of the most in-demand durable skills into 10 major themes or competencies.

Key findings include:

• The top five durable skills are requested nearly four (3.8) times more than the top five hard skills
• Over 29 million postings (36 percent) requested at least three of these skills
• Leadership and communication competencies are in highest demand, requested by 50+ percent of postings
• While the value of durable skills is high nationwide, geographic regions differ from one another and from national averages in their demand for specific competencies

“Companies will continue to compete on innovation and talent like never before which makes the use, sharing, and transparency of skills data across stakeholder groups even more important to the world of work”, said Cheryl Oldham, senior vice president of Education and Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “Collective action around durable skills is one way to ensure Americans have the right skills for the jobs of today and tomorrow, and the economy has the skilled workforce it needs to grow.”

The report represents the initial results of a long-term initiative to identify and elevate the need for durable skills training across the full spectrum of education-to-employment pathways. America Succeeds continues to expand its research and advocacy campaign, partnering with leading corporations that are seeking to foster greater student achievement, build an educated workforce pipeline, and protect the nation’s future economic vitality.

Additional supporters of the initiative include SHRM, CompTIA, The Manufacturing Institute, Business Agility Institute, Associated Builders and Contractors, and Americans for the Arts.

In an ever-changing global workforce, today’s students are developing skills to make them productive members of tomorrow’s workforce. Perhaps one of the most important skills they’ll learn is lifelong learning.

A new report highlights lifelong learning’s prominent part in higher ed and the workforce, but the report’s recommendations are also important for K-12 educators and learners.

Related content: 5 strategies to navigate the future of learning

Future of Lifelong Learning: Designing for a Learning-Integrated Life, a new whitepaper from D2L released during the 2020 Education World Forum, focuses on the future of work and learning. The paper describes how these forces and the interactions between them are permeating all aspects of our society, driving an increasing need for lifelong learning.

Related Content:

eSchool News STEM, STEAM, & Makerspaces Guide

The eSchool News STEM, STEAM, & Makerspaces Guide is here! It features strategies to help you integrate STEM, STEAM, and makerspace education into classrooms, and it offers a look at how these tools engage students and give them valuable skills. A new eSchool News Guide will launch each month–don’t miss a single one!

“While we cannot forecast the future with any certainty, it is clear that there is an increasing importance on the education and workforce development sectors to continually enable working individuals for the jobs of both today and tomorrow,” says Jeremy Auger, D2L’s chief strategy officer. “Achieving the vision of a ‘Learning-Integrated Life,’ or ongoing learning and skills development as the enabler of employability, success, and purpose, requires a paradigm shift in the current models of education and skills development.”

The demand for lifelong learning appears to be strong and growing in both the short-term and the future. Up to 375 million workers across the global workforce—or 14 percent of all workers—may need to change occupations and learn new skills by 2030.

But for lifelong learning to be obtainable, education and training opportunities must be accessible to all–particularly for low-skilled and disadvantaged individuals. A lack of accessibility creates gaps in education and skills, leading to economic disparities.

Recommendations for lifelong learning include:

• Acting as a convener, governments should leverage a national strategy to create a shared commitment between government, public education systems, and employers to create a cohesive lifelong learning system.
• Industry-academic co-design of programs have shown compelling benefits for workers, employers, and educational institutions. Industry-led partnerships with labor organizations should offer similar potential in preparing new workers and upskilling existing workers for changing technologies and business processes.
• Higher education should address the demand for learning through new, flexible models of learning for adults.
• Employers and postsecondary institutions must work together to develop models for assessment and recognition based off what already works.
• Industry and higher education institutions should promote the development of durable skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and emotional intelligence, all critical across occupations and for career adaptability.
• In order for the shift in our learning systems to be realized and to meet the needs of a Learning-Integrated Life, data must flow more seamlessly between government, industry, and education.

While this research has broad implications for higher education, it is still relevant for the K-12 landscape for several reasons:

1. Students need to learn how to learn. And they have to do so before reaching college or entering certification programs or the workforce. When students participate in makerspaces and project-based learning, they take ownership of their learning. Student agency and student voice emerge, letting students find their strengths and develop skills they’ll need for success.

2. STEM education prepares students for the future. The majority of tomorrow’s jobs (many of which don’t even exist yet today) will require some kind of STEM competency. A background in STEM is essential. What’s more–as STEM roles in the workforce evolve, workers’ skills will need to grow and evolve. Giving students a strong STEM background before they graduate from high school gives them confidence to rely on that STEM knowledge, apply it to real-world scenarios, and learn more with STEM in the future.

3. STEAM education and makerspaces help students develop creativity. Creativity is consistently cited as one of the most-desired soft skills in workers today. In addition to creativity, STEAM and makerspaces help students develop other soft skills, or employability skills, such as problem solving, empathy, and the ability to collaborate. These soft skills will help today’s students when they are in the workforce navigating changing career requirements and ongoing learning opportunities.