Importance of Soft Skills

Policy Update on Policy Update on U.S. Community Colleges:U.S. Community Colleges:Successes and Challenges of Successes and Challenges of Incorporating Incorporating “Soft Skills”“Soft Skills” into the Curriculuminto the Curriculum

TA3 ConferenceTA3 ConferenceBerlin, GermanyBerlin, GermanyNovember 7, 2005 November 7, 2005

H. Martin Lancaster, PresidentH. Martin Lancaster, President

North Carolina Community College North Carolina Community College SystemSystemwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100www.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100

North Carolina Community College System H. Martin Lancaster, President www.nccommunitycolleges.edu

Fifty-eight Institutions Educating and Training a World-Class Workforce

The North Carolina The North Carolina Community College SystemCommunity College System

Our mission is about Our mission is about JOBS:JOBS: Attracting good jobs with great Attracting good jobs with great

futuresfutures Growing new jobs in new businessesGrowing new jobs in new businesses Teaching people the skills they need Teaching people the skills they need

to get and keep those jobsto get and keep those jobs



Who We Who We AreAre

A System of 58 A System of 58 Community CollegesCommunity Colleges

Credit, Non-Credit, Job Training Credit, Non-Credit, Job Training and Skills Upgrading, Literacy, and Personal and Skills Upgrading, Literacy, and Personal Enrichment CoursesEnrichment Courses

Nearly Nearly 800,000800,000 North Carolinians enrolled last North Carolinians enrolled last year in at least one Community College courseyear in at least one Community College course



Economic TransitionsEconomic Transitions

State economy was primarily State economy was primarily agricultural agricultural 100 years ago100 years ago

ManufacturingManufacturing emphasis emphasis began in the 1950’sbegan in the 1950’s

Transition to Transition to informationinformation and and biotechnology biotechnology applications applications began in the 1990’sbegan in the 1990’s



Most Important Role of Most Important Role of Education in a Free SocietyEducation in a Free Society

To create citizens who are bothTo create citizens who are both

productiveproductive and and responsible:responsible:Capable of earning a livingCapable of earning a living

Able to make informed decisionsAble to make informed decisions Ready to step into leadershipReady to step into leadership



Why Are Why Are “Soft Skills”“Soft Skills” Important in the 21Important in the 21stst Century?Century?

Dr. Dallas Herring, our spiritualDr. Dallas Herring, our spiritual

“ “godfather”, said almost 50 yearsgodfather”, said almost 50 years

ago: ago: “The only valid philosophy for “The only valid philosophy for North Carolina is the philosophy of North Carolina is the philosophy of total education.”total education.”

Training is multi-dimensional. Training is multi-dimensional.

Our greatest strength is our focus Our greatest strength is our focus

on the whole person.on the whole person.



Because the World is Because the World is ChangingChanging

Greater need for skilled and Greater need for skilled and professional workersprofessional workers

Increasing globalization and Increasing globalization and diversitydiversity

More service-oriented societiesMore service-oriented societies Rapid advances in technologyRapid advances in technology



What Employers What Employers Are SayingAre Saying

Good grades and Good grades and technical expertise technical expertise not enough.not enough.

Campus recruiters are looking for Campus recruiters are looking for “soft skills,”“soft skills,” such as ability to such as ability to communicatecommunicate well, work in well, work in teams,teams, and and lead lead others.others.

Oral communicationOral communication often cited most often cited most important “soft skill” -- important “soft skill” -- sorely lackingsorely lacking in in recruits coming straight from higher recruits coming straight from higher education.education.



What Employers What Employers

Are SayingAre Saying

In a recent survey, employers in North CarolinaIn a recent survey, employers in North Carolina

indicated how important the following are whenindicated how important the following are when

making hiring decisions:making hiring decisions: Attitude and Demeanor 100 %Attitude and Demeanor 100 % Communications Skills Communications Skills 98.4% 98.4% Appearance/Dress/Grooming Appearance/Dress/Grooming 97.2% 97.2% Professional/Technical Certificates Professional/Technical Certificates 79.9% 79.9% Grades Earned in College Grades Earned in College 53.6% 53.6%



Attitude is Attitude is Everything!Everything!

Employees must takeEmployees must take pride pride in their work.in their work.

Our competitors are not racing us to Our competitors are not racing us to the the bottombottom…They are racing us to the …They are racing us to the top.top.

It’s no longer “follow the money.” It’s no longer “follow the money.” Now, it’s Now, it’s “follow the brains.”“follow the brains.”

A A good work ethicgood work ethic is still the most is still the most important element in the workplace important element in the workplace readiness formula.readiness formula.



What North Carolina What North Carolina Employers Are Looking Employers Are Looking ForFor

Personal EffectivenessPersonal Effectiveness FlexibilityFlexibility LeadershipLeadership Futuristic ThinkingFuturistic Thinking PersuasionPersuasion Interpersonal SkillsInterpersonal Skills Decision Making and Negotiating SkillsDecision Making and Negotiating Skills



Even More Critical Even More Critical Are….Are….

Written and Oral CommunicationWritten and Oral Communication TeamworkTeamwork Creativity/InnovationCreativity/Innovation DiplomacyDiplomacy Conflict ManagementConflict Management Customer ServiceCustomer Service Problem Solving and Analytical Problem Solving and Analytical

ThinkingThinking



How Policy Is Changing How Policy Is Changing the Way Skills Are Being the Way Skills Are Being TaughtTaught

Half Half of NCCCS colleges (29 of 58) of NCCCS colleges (29 of 58) provide specific provide specific “soft skills”“soft skills” training training at their college.at their college.

Many have incorporated Many have incorporated “soft skills”“soft skills” into their courses and programs.into their courses and programs.

Others use career centers, student Others use career centers, student activities, and campus workshops as a activities, and campus workshops as a means of delivery for means of delivery for “soft skills.”“soft skills.”



The Sky’s The Limit...The Sky’s The Limit...

Student Clubs and OrganizationsStudent Clubs and Organizations Field TripsField Trips Leadership Retreats and Leadership Retreats and

ConferencesConferences Faculty and Staff TrainingFaculty and Staff Training Student Orientation CoursesStudent Orientation Courses Student Peer MentoringStudent Peer Mentoring Service Learning ProgramsService Learning Programs



How Policy Changes the How Policy Changes the Classroom EnvironmentClassroom Environment

Many of our institutions Many of our institutions are adopting the concept are adopting the concept of the of the “Learning College,”“Learning College,” meaning an engagement of meaning an engagement of the learner that leads to a the learner that leads to a demonstrable change in demonstrable change in the way that the learner the way that the learner relates to his or her relates to his or her environment.environment.



Durham Tech’s Durham Tech’s “Vision for a Learning “Vision for a Learning College”College”

The ability to The ability to communicate communicate clearly, effectively and clearly, effectively and respectfullyrespectfully both orally and in writing both orally and in writing

The ability to The ability to recognize cultural differencesrecognize cultural differences among peoples, to develop among peoples, to develop tolerancetolerance for for differences, and differences, and to act appropriatelyto act appropriately with with individuals of varying culturesindividuals of varying cultures



Durham Tech’s Durham Tech’s “Vision for a Learning “Vision for a Learning College”College”

The ability to The ability to contribute contribute positivelypositively to the academic to the academic and workplace environment and workplace environment by demonstrating expected behaviors by demonstrating expected behaviors (e.g. integrity, demeanor, attendance, punctuality) (e.g. integrity, demeanor, attendance, punctuality) and by working with others to solve problems;and by working with others to solve problems;

The ability to The ability to learn and to possess critical-thinking learn and to possess critical-thinking and problem-solving skillsand problem-solving skills necessary in an ever- necessary in an ever-changing environment; andchanging environment; and

The ability to The ability to recognize ethical dilemmasrecognize ethical dilemmas and to and to identify possible solutions.identify possible solutions.



““Dream It, Do It”Dream It, Do It”

Critical labor shortageCritical labor shortage coming as “baby boomers” coming as “baby boomers” retireretire

Discrepancy in the needs of industry and the skills of Discrepancy in the needs of industry and the skills of the available labor forcethe available labor force

National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) has introduced introduced “Dream It, Do It”“Dream It, Do It” campaign focusing on campaign focusing on “new reality”of manufacturing:“new reality”of manufacturing:- Provides training for technologically sophisticated - Provides training for technologically sophisticated

industriesindustries- - Emphasizes “soft skills”Emphasizes “soft skills” necessary to work in high- necessary to work in high-

performance teams with greater autonomy than has ever performance teams with greater autonomy than has ever existed in work environmentexisted in work environment



Workkeys and the Workkeys and the Career Readiness Career Readiness

CertificateCertificateWorkKeys WorkKeys identifies skills and competenciesidentifies skills and competencies needed needed

before learning beginsbefore learning begins

Career Readiness Certificate:Career Readiness Certificate: Portable Portable credentialcredential that promotes career that promotes career development and skill attainment development and skill attainment

Confirms to employers that an individual Confirms to employers that an individual possesses basic workplace skills,possesses basic workplace skills, reduces reduces turnover, turnover, andand enhances opportunities enhances opportunities for for promotionpromotion



““Soft Skills”Soft Skills” are are a a Universal Universal PrinciplePrinciple

Not unique to curriculum or credit programsNot unique to curriculum or credit programs Apply equally to training for:Apply equally to training for:

– Business and industry.Business and industry.– Persons in public service positions.Persons in public service positions.– Those seeking to become literate in their own or Those seeking to become literate in their own or

another language. another language. – Those who have chosen to better themselves in Those who have chosen to better themselves in

order to make the world a better place.order to make the world a better place.



Flexibility, Mobility Flexibility, Mobility and Versatilityand Versatility

Still need Still need more math, science, technology, more math, science, technology, and communicationsand communications

Employers increasingly looking for Employers increasingly looking for creative leaderscreative leaders who who solve problemssolve problems and and have a have a passionate commitment to workpassionate commitment to work

Team playersTeam players needed who can negotiate and needed who can negotiate and work in an increasingly diverse environmentwork in an increasingly diverse environment

Our Challenge: Our Challenge: To incorporate into all To incorporate into all our curricula the philosophy of our curricula the philosophy of TOTAL EDUCATIONTOTAL EDUCATION

Policy Update on Policy Update on U.S. Community Colleges:U.S. Community Colleges:Successes and Challenges of Successes and Challenges of Incorporating Incorporating “Soft Skills”“Soft Skills” into the Curriculuminto the Curriculum

TA3 ConferenceTA3 ConferenceBerlin, GermanyBerlin, GermanyNovember 7, 2005 November 7, 2005

H. Martin Lancaster, PresidentH. Martin Lancaster, President

North Carolina Community College North Carolina Community College SystemSystemwww.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100www.nccommunitycolleges.edu 919-807-7100

Documents

Importance of Soft Skills