THE HIGH DEMAND FOR DURABLE SKILLS
With a goal of transforming education, Virginia Learns believes there should be an educational shift in focus to teach students these critical skills.
Preparing Tomorrow's Workforce
We teamed up with America Succeeds and Emsi Burning Glass to promote the “High Demand for Durable Skills” report on which durable skills employers want their employees to have.
Durable skills – or what used to be called “soft” or “life” skills – are those that learners can take with them to whatever careers they choose and wherever they go professionally. These skills include critical thinking, the ability to collaborate on a team and effectively communicate with others.
In producing this study, Emsi analyzed more than 2.3 million job postings in Virginia to see how often the following competencies were listed: communication, leadership, metacognition, critical thinking, collaboration, character, growth mindset, mindfulness, creativity, and fortitude.
After studying over 38,000 companies across the state, the High Demand for Durable Skills report found that 1.8 million jobs demanded durable skills. Specifically, the report found that communication, leadership, and metacognition were the top three durable skills employers are looking for in Virginia.
For more information, access our press release by clicking here.