A common, and very important, question among faculty is “How do we help students secure employment after graduation?” Knowing what employers need for the modern workforce is part of the answer.
A survey conducted for the AAC&U asked employers what they seek when hiring college graduates. Over 80% reported that they valued the following broad-based skills even more than a college graduate’s specific major: oral and written communication, ethical judgement and decision-making, the ability to work in teams, critical and analytical reasoning, and the ability to apply learning to real-world settings.
Helping students learn discipline-specific knowledge and skill is, of course, critical for progress towards graduation and preparation for professional employment. However, guiding them to develop a well-rounded and broad-based skillset necessary for the modern work environment may be just as important. Implementing collaborative group work, active learning techniques, and civic engagement are classroom strategies that could accomplish both simultaneously.
