Soft Skills (2).ppt on soft skill development

Soft skill development

1. Soft Skills – The Other ShoeSoft Skills – The Other Shoe
““The day of considering quality and teamwork as special The day of considering quality and teamwork as special
has passed. Not because they aren’t important, but has passed. Not because they aren’t important, but
because the bar has been raised to the point where we because the bar has been raised to the point where we
feel they’re mandatory. We don’t even consider hiring feel they’re mandatory. We don’t even consider hiring
someone who can’t exhibit these skills. It’s like getting someone who can’t exhibit these skills. It’s like getting
your measles shot before school.”your measles shot before school.”
- Patricia Murray- Patricia Murray
Corporate VP for HRCorporate VP for HR
Intel CorpIntel Corp

2. What Are “Soft” Skills, Anyway?What Are “Soft” Skills, Anyway?

Enhance employabilityEnhance employability

Enhance advancementEnhance advancement

Non-technicalNon-technical

Universally applicableUniversally applicable

Relate to OTKSRelate to OTKS
“Technical Skills will get you the interview,
but it’s the soft skills that get you the job”
- Heard repeatedly in
Industry Focus Groups

3. What Industry Says What Industry Says

Able to Work In TeamsAble to Work In Teams

Able to Take and Give DirectionAble to Take and Give Direction

Customer FocusCustomer Focus

Able to Communicate in WritingAble to Communicate in Writing

Able to Communicate by SpeechAble to Communicate by Speech

Able to quantify and relate mathematicallyAble to quantify and relate mathematically

Able to analyze, prioritize, evaluateAble to analyze, prioritize, evaluate
((sometimes called “Critical Thinking”)sometimes called “Critical Thinking”)

Sensitive to other points of view, other cultures, Sensitive to other points of view, other cultures,
gender, ethnicity.gender, ethnicity.

ResourcefulResourceful

Able to Solve New ProblemsAble to Solve New Problems

4. Some IssuesSome Issues

Education versus TrainingEducation versus Training

““I’ll know it when I see it.”I’ll know it when I see it.”

Can we measure it?Can we measure it?

““Why do I have to learn this?”Why do I have to learn this?”
“You have to recognize you’re doing this work for
others - it’s not an end in itself. We want a long
term relationship with the client. We need to
work together to ensure meaningful feedback.
It’s arrogant and foolish to do otherwise.”
- Edge Knowlin, IBM

5. Implications for CurriculumImplications for Curriculum

Build upon a technical coreBuild upon a technical core

Integrate soft and technical skillsIntegrate soft and technical skills

Provide opportunities for integrated Provide opportunities for integrated
learninglearning

Let students see benefitsLet students see benefits

Skill Standards can point the waySkill Standards can point the way

Integrate related disciplinesIntegrate related disciplines

Make meaning - soft skills are not the ball, Make meaning - soft skills are not the ball,
they’re the whole ball game!they’re the whole ball game!

6. Implications for AssessmentImplications for Assessment

Open to a range of assessmentsOpen to a range of assessments
–Based on learning stylesBased on learning styles
–Based on integration of outcomesBased on integration of outcomes
–Involving peersInvolving peers
–Involving industryInvolving industry
–Using activitiesUsing activities
–Authentic, integrating normative and Authentic, integrating normative and
criterion referencescriterion references
“The only practical goal of any
organization is improvement.”
- Phillip Crosby, ITT

7. What do we really want?What do we really want?
Business and Education Should Be Business and Education Should Be
on the Same Pageon the Same Page
"There is only one valid definition of
business purpose: to create a
customer. “
- Peter Drucker