NEWS RELEASE
September 2008
Soft Skills Give Students An Edge
With advice from employers, high schools pilot Career Prep Certificate
It’s an ambitious goal, but one educators and business people alike say students need to set. Instead of just focusing on meeting academic requirements and earning their diplomas, students would do well to strive toward mastering soft skills, too, such as good time management, being accountable and having a strong work ethic.
That’s the message of a new program being piloted in 29 Missouri schools this year.
“The new Career Preparation Certificate Program encourages students to develop a range of skills that will make them attractive to employers and promote career success,” said Steve Coffman, director of Employment Training at the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). “State and national surveys tell us that many employers place a premium on soft skills, and many are struggling to find new employees who possess these desirable traits. Schools are trying to respond to this need with the Career Prep Certificate.”
Workforce Readiness Requires Both
DESE launched the Career Prep Certificate Program in response to 2006 state legislation that required the development of a “ready-to-work” endorsement program. Members of the business community and the education community worked together to determine the components of the voluntary program.
“I’m excited that the education community is reaching out to business and industry to find out what the needs are,” said Rita Needham, executive director of the Southwest Area Manufacturers Association, based in Springfield, Mo., and a member of the Career Prep Certificate planning committee.
The 29 schools piloting the program are spread across four projects, three of which are individual school districts and one of which is a consortium made up of 22 schools in East Central Missouri. While most of the pilots are using this year to plan and promote the program, there will be seniors who graduate in May with the new Career Prep Certificate, in addition to their regular diploma.
Those graduates will have written proof of their academic and soft-skill proficiencies to show prospective employers, Coffman said. As more employers become familiar with the certificate, it will become more important, for students and schools alike.
“If businesses know the certificate is available, and they know what the certificate represents, they’ll ask for it,” he said.
Many employers already recognize state and national credentials such as occupational licenses and professional-skill certificates. For example, the state-certified Missouri Career Readiness Certificate (MoCRC) is available to jobseekers through the statewide network of Missouri Career Centers. Utilizing the nationally-recognized WorkKeys® assessment system, the MoCRC document verifies to employers individual achievements in key job skills of reading for information, locating information and applied mathematics.
The exact requirements for the new high school certificates will vary across the pilot projects because each project will work with local business and industry to develop a certificate tailored to the needs of the area. However, all of the certificates will include some assessment of soft skills, such as attendance habits, professional and ethical behavior, and interpersonal skills, along with traditional academic indicators such as grades, test scores, and occupational training and certification. Certificates could also include information about graduates’ community service hours, extracurricular activities, awards and honors.
Needham said the soft-skills component, though often overlooked, is essential for today’s young people to be genuinely “work-ready” after high school.
Employers want to know that the people they choose to hire are punctual, dependable, and can pass a drug test, Needham said. They want employees who can work well with other employees and with customers. They need people who are trustworthy, who can solve problems on their own and who have a positive attitude. It’s necessary for applicants to have a strong academic foundation — but that alone is not enough.
“The message for students is you need both, the academics and the soft skills,” she said.
Open Doors for Those with Soft Skills
A new report from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) sends the same message. Using data from the most recent Missouri Job Vacancy Survey, MERIC has put together a report focused exclusively on the skills and competencies required of applicants for various open positions.
Set for release in early October, the report shows that the skills of problem-solving, decision-making and good time management are requirements for more than 80 percent of open jobs. So are the habits of punctuality and good hygiene. Listening and interpersonal skills are even more desired, making the list of requirements for more than 90 percent of open jobs.
The most common shortcomings of recent job applicants, as reported by Missouri employers, involve a lack of soft skills (attitude, work ethic, customer service) rather than weak academic skills.
“Everyone says kids need the basics, and we agree,” Coffman said. “But in today’s world, the ‘new basics’ include applied skills and people skills, such as communication, critical thinking and problem-solving — not just the three Rs. Through the Career Prep Certificate Program, we’re making sure students know what employers expect, and we’re providing employers with a tool to ensure chosen applicants are ready for the workforce.”
Though the program is focused on preparing students for careers, it applies both to students who will go straight to work and to those who will go on to higher education, Coffman added.
“These skills will help students be successful at work, at college — even in their personal lives,” he said. “Regardless of what students hope to achieve after graduation, these skills will help them reach their goals.”
The Four Pilot Projects:
- Fort Osage R-1 School District, Independence
- Maryville R-II School District
- North Kansas City School District
- East Central Consortium
Belle High School
Bourbon High School
Cuba High School
Four Rivers Career Center
Hermann High School
John F. Hodge High School (St. James)
Licking High School
New Haven High School
Newburg High School
Owensville High School
Pacific High School
Rolla High School
Rolla Technical Institute/Center
Salem High School
St. Clair High School
Steelville High School
Sullivan High School
Union High School
Vienna High School
Warrenton High School
Washington High School
Wright City High School
