The Hub is passionate about equipping students with the skills they need
for the jobs of today and tomorrow. With so many STEAM-related jobs, it seems like an impossible task to prepare students with all the necessary skills for an unknown future.
Fortunately, students do not need to be trained for every skill. By focusing on essential employability skills, students will be ready to enter the workforce and learn as they go. Employers always remind us that 'we can train technical skills but essential employability skills are needed on day one of employment.’
The Workforce and Talent Development Board under the Higher Education Coordinating Commission is supporting the adoption of common vocabulary around essential skills by education and employers starting with defining the
top 10 essential skills:
- Self-Awareness (Self Understanding)
- Social Diversity/Awareness (Sensitivity to Differences in Backgrounds/Beliefs)
- Collaboration (Team Player)
- Digital Literacy (Good with Technology)
- Resiliency (Plans for Success & Bounces Back from Failure)
- Analysis/Solution Mindset (Problem Solver)
- Entrepreneurial Mindset (Go-Getter)
- Adaptability/Flexibility (Open to Change)
- Communication (Good Communicator)
- Empathy (Sensitive to Others' Feelings)
These can be applied in the context of four Primary Traits of Adaptability:
- Trait #1: Sees when things change and recognizes that change can be an opportunity.
- Trait #2: Open to new experiences including work environments, roles, and tasks.
- Trait #3: Acknowledges the viewpoints of others and accepts suggestions to get the job done.
- Trait #4: Handles normal amounts of stress, uses feedback in a positive way, and learns from things that go wrong.
To help educators, a website is being rolled out with a core curriculum containing video, activities, and summaries to do with students. The outcome is having the students tell their stories, and how they exemplify these traits, similar to what they would do in a mock interview. This strategic plan is viewable in this Essential Oregon Employability Skills presentation. The website is scheduled to launch as early as this spring.
The Mid-Valley STEM-CTE Hub is helping teachers and students build these skills. Not only have we brought on a new program coordinator, Kelsie Szsezulski, to help support the efforts. we are also about to bring on an Education Equity and Outreach Specialist to assist with developing career-connected learning opportunities with our P-12 partners.
Another way the Hub is helping is to broaden the impact through Educator Externships. Once educators understand the employment opportunities in local companies, they can have more meaningful conversations with students about career possibilities.
We are going to be offering educator externships again in June. All of the employers hosting last year’s externship said that essential employability skills
are what they wish all employees would possess. The educators were happy to hear this because they feel they can have a positive impact in helping students gain these skills.
Keep an eye out for the upcoming Educator Externship opportunities that will be announced in April.
If you’d like to be given the materials on Oregon Employability Skills when they are ready and updated, fill out this request form.
