What skills do students need for work?

There have been recent studies that indicate a significant divide between the skills that pupils are acquiring in schools and the skills that are necessary for them to be successful in life. These news stories might be difficult to process for someone working in education. Because it goes without saying that we are dedicated to ensuring that our students are capable of making sound choices in their lives, living independently, and finding success in their chosen occupations.

So the question is, how can we contribute to close the achievement gap and educate students to be career-ready in addition to everything else that we do in our curricula? By placing an emphasis on important skills that are not only necessary for the long-term success of our kids, but also play an active role in all that we do in the classroom.

1. the ability to think analytically

The capacity to solve issues in a timely and efficient manner is a hallmark of analytical thinking. It requires a strategy that is systematic, step-by-step, and methodical, which breaks down complicated issues into small components that are manageable.

There is a good chance that your pupils are already engaging in critical thinking whether they do experiments in the science lab or labor over a project that spans a whole semester. The most important thing is to make the task as clear as possible and to relate the students' existing analytic processes to what they would perform in a real-world setting. One example of a lesson that divides analytical thinking into three phases is shown below.

2. The design thinking approach

A mentality of design is one that is focused on finding solutions and is action-oriented. When we provide children the chance to approach challenges from different angles, we are opening the door for development that may come from making mistakes and learning from them. This framework is being used more and more often in the classroom as a way to inspire students to look for innovative solutions to problems.

If you want to make the relationship between design thinking and vocations more apparent, one tool that we really enjoy is EVERFI's Endeavor, which is a free, interactive application that demonstrates kids how experimentation plays a role in STEM occupations such as engineering, product designing, and more.

3. the ability to think critically

Critical thinking may be defined as "making reasoned judgements that are rational and well-thought out," as stated by sociologist William Graham Sumner. Finding evidence to back up one's arguments and conclusions is an essential part of critical thinking, which requires one to avoid just believing everything that is said.

In order to foster critical thinking in the classroom, activities like as in-depth reading, essay writing, and the formulation of scientific hypotheses and predictions are all helpful.

4. Cooperation and working together as a team

Both collaboration and teamwork include individuals working together toward the accomplishment of a shared objective. However, resident writer at Theatrefolk and co-founder of the Drama Teacher Academy Lindsay Price claims that the two ideas, although closely connected to one another, are not the same.

When students work together on a project, they do it as individuals, which is the major distinction between the two. Everyone is responsible for the work they have been assigned, which will ultimately contribute to the result. Every member of the group is responsible for a certain task, and a capable leader directs everyone's efforts in the direction of the objective.

On the other side, Price explains to us that within the context of a cooperation, the group must not only work together but also think together. The efforts of the group have resulted in the creation of the ultimate product. This indicates that those working together are seen as equal participants; there is no leader."

The ability to function well within any kind of group dynamic is not only necessary for surviving in the workplace of the 21st century, but also for flourishing in it.

5. Making a choice or a decision

Making a decision requires picking one course of action to pursue out of many potential responses to a challenge. It is possible to arrive at a conclusion by an intuitive path, a logical path, or a method that combines the two, as stated by the organization Skills You Need. When making judgments, reasoning is the process of utilizing facts and numbers. Using your "gut instinct" to make decisions regarding potential courses of action is an example of intuition.

Both types of decision-making may be fostered by talking to kids about previous choices they've made and the reasons why they made those judgments. When did they most successfully use reason to make decisions? When was it that they used their intuition to make better decisions? Why?

6. The initiative taken

According to the research conducted by author Jennifer Applebaum, one of the primary concerns that employers have about young employees is their seeming lack of initiative. However, a large number of young people report feeling uneasy and are just unclear of how to take the lead. According to Applebaum, the most important thing is to provide pupils plenty of chances to get experience and build their self-confidence.

This often entails redirecting queries toward the students and moving away from the role of being the all-knowing source of knowledge in the classroom. Students may get angry if you do not offer them a clear response — or tonight's homework assignment — but responding to their inquiries with a soothing "I believe you can figure it out" will assist to cultivate the necessary level of self-confidence in them.

7. Entrepreneurship

The ability to think creatively and entrepreneurially is becoming more valuable in the workplace. The majority of individuals nowadays do not spend decades employed by a single organization; rather, they carve out their own distinctive career trajectories, which may include working for a variety of employers, including small businesses, large businesses, and even oneself.

Students' business acumen may be improved if they participate in EVERFI's free, interactive activity called "Venture," which offers a variety of challenges. Students are given the task of launching a digital food truck as part of this game-based learning experience, which helps them improve their abilities in areas such as mathematics, communication, and logic.

8. Organization

The vast majority of educators will attest to the fact that the majority of pupils need to receive direct instruction in order to acquire the ability of organizing. The advantages of acquiring these abilities at an early age create the framework for later success, both in the workplace and in life more generally.

Sharing your own organizing systems with students, whether it's an online calendar, a planner, or an old-fashioned three-ring binder, is one of our favorite hacks for teaching organizational skills. This may be done in a variety of ways, depending on what works best for you.

9. Persistence

We tend to think of perseverance as a personality attribute that is innate, but the reality is that it is a habit of mind that can certainly be taught. This principle is at the heart of the movement known as the development mindset. The following is a list of 12 of our favorite books that may assist in the development of a growth mindset.

10. Problem-solving

The process of learning inherently involves problem-solving, but we don't always take the time to make the thinking clear. This is important because it lays the groundwork for students to be able to solve issues in their future employment. Discuss the many approaches that may be taken to issue solving, and give kids admiration for the unique ways in which they think. "I applaud the way you circumvented the challenge by . However, despite the fact that you handled it in a manner that differs from Ana's, you both arrived at the same conclusion. What are your reasons for believing that?"

11. Risk

Others, on the other hand, seem to be more predisposed to play it safe and avoid taking any unnecessary chances in life. However, taking risks is an essential component of the way work is done in the current day, and there is a pressing need for more clear instruction on how to do so.

12. Direction in One's Own Life

A self-directed person is able to manage and change their behavior in response to the pressures that are placed on them in order to accomplish the objectives that they have set for themselves.

How, therefore, can we aid the development of self-awareness in young people so that they may assume responsibility for their own lives? Providing kids with chances to honestly evaluate their interests and talents and then exploring career options that are a good fit for those evaluations is a terrific approach to get started. The interactive learning platform offered by EVERFI delivers career development counseling in methods that are both entertaining and engaging. For example, Endeavor helps students develop an interest in STEM fields that are in high demand. And Venture lets students explore an entrepreneurial future. Students are guided through the process of analyzing their own qualities and competencies within the context of a variety of potential professional pathways by use of both sets of programs.