Are we doing the best for our students?

What are the critical skills for employability?

For these workers the general preparation for work was basic knowledge:

• Technical skills
• Scientific skill
• Reading
• Writing
• Arithmetic

What are the crucial skills needed in this workplace? Applied skills…

Global literacy | Digital Literacy

Culturally sensitive | Languages

Creativity | Innovation

Flexibility | Agility | Nimbleness

People skills | Team members

Connectedness

The report: Are they really ready to Work? Employers’ Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21^st Century US Workforce (2006)

These are the most important skills cited by employers:

• Professionalism/Work Ethic
• Oral and written communication
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Critical thinking/problem solving

Employers were asked:

Of the High School students that you recently hired, what were their deficiencies?

Written Communication	81%
Leadership	73%
Work Ethic	70%
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	70%
Self-Direction	58%

What applied skills and basic knowledge are most important for those you will hire with a four year diploma?

Oral Communication	95.4%
Collaboration	94.4%
Professional/Work Ethic	93.8%
Written Communication	93.1%
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	93.1%

Now we are in a both/and world… “75% of employers say K-12 schools should be responsible for the necessary basic knowledge and applied skills.”