March 5-7, 2008
Asilomar Conference Grounds
Pacific Grove, CA
Asilomar Conference Grounds
Pacific Grove, CA
Soft Skills We Know They Need Them, But How to Teach Them?
Over 25 years ago, the California State Chancellor’s Office established the (BESAC) Business Education Statewide Advisory Committee—a partnership of Business/Industry and educators to develop curriculum to address the priorities for 44 occupational fields in California’s leading occupations. This committee’s research has shown that good soft skills are critical elements that are missing as many students enter the workplace.
What Are Soft Skills?
Soft skills are behaviors and characteristics that employees demonstrate unconsciously and routinely on the job. These are different from hard skills because they are learned through practice and experience in ones’ life. These skills begin when we are children and continue development throughout our adult life in the form of practical application. As children we develop friendships and learn to share. This is where we begin development of loyalty and teamwork. These skills are carried forward into the workplace. Adults lacking soft skills require training to enhance workplace effectiveness. Soft skills consist of many attributes including: able to send and receive communication using active listening, awareness of non-verbal communication, oral communication, persuasiveness, problem solving, decision-making, time and stress management, responsibility and a cognitive approach to the exchange.
Soft skills are behaviors and characteristics that employees demonstrate unconsciously and routinely on the job. These are different from hard skills because they are learned through practice and experience in ones’ life. These skills begin when we are children and continue development throughout our adult life in the form of practical application. As children we develop friendships and learn to share. This is where we begin development of loyalty and teamwork. These skills are carried forward into the workplace. Adults lacking soft skills require training to enhance workplace effectiveness. Soft skills consist of many attributes including: able to send and receive communication using active listening, awareness of non-verbal communication, oral communication, persuasiveness, problem solving, decision-making, time and stress management, responsibility and a cognitive approach to the exchange.
Why Are Soft Skills Critical to Employee Success at Work?
In today’s competitive job market, employers want to hire individuals that possess competency in soft skills. They are willing to train employees in the skills required to do the job provided they have the soft skills to support and increase the individual’s development.
In today’s competitive job market, employers want to hire individuals that possess competency in soft skills. They are willing to train employees in the skills required to do the job provided they have the soft skills to support and increase the individual’s development.
Employers want workers who are dependable, resourceful, ethical, self-directed and who demonstrate effective communication for delivery of workplace products. The result is a collaborative, productive, customer-focused work place that spends less time resolving problems and more time meeting company goals.
Business and industry have done extensive research and surveys on how to define, determine and train employees in the area of soft skills. In 1990, The Secretary of Labor appointed a commission to determine the skills young people need to succeed in the world of work known as SCANS (Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills). The results found that more than half of the nation’s young people were leaving school without the knowledge needed to find and hold a job. Many knew little about basic workplace demands such as showing up on time and calling in when sick. Today, this situation continues to pose serious problems.
How Can We Teach Soft Skills in Our Classes?
As educators, what can you do to help solve this problem? Have students practice giving oral reports or written communications as a routine part of your class. Have students create a resume. Have students do online research or job searches. Have students dress professionally for class. Teach students to have a continquency plan. Enforce students getting to class on time and staying for the entire class time. Teach students that text messaging isn’t appropriate communication in the workplace. Teach students cell phone etiquette. Teach students about email ethics just to name a few.
As educators, what can you do to help solve this problem? Have students practice giving oral reports or written communications as a routine part of your class. Have students create a resume. Have students do online research or job searches. Have students dress professionally for class. Teach students to have a continquency plan. Enforce students getting to class on time and staying for the entire class time. Teach students that text messaging isn’t appropriate communication in the workplace. Teach students cell phone etiquette. Teach students about email ethics just to name a few.
Where Can I Find Resources?
BESAC maintains a website that contains videos, course outlines, promising practices and much more that you can use in your classes. http://www.calbusinessed.org/
Sally Kurz
Professor Business Computing
Coastline Community College