National Association of Distinguished Professionals

With Labor Day having just passed, many people are discussing the so-called “skills gap” that is affecting the American jobs market. A recent article in Slate argues that there has been a death of what are called “soft skills,”- skills such as creativity, critical thinking, and professionalism. The author ascribed much of that gap to a lack of focus on the liberal arts among workers

To hear pundits talk, unskilled workers need to be trained in skills that are not commonly found among men and women entering the workforce. Of course, our labor market is falling short in some hands-on, technical capacities, but simply training workers and sending them off to work will not eliminate much of what is lacking among the labor force. However, what employers are looking for extends far beyond the area of the candidate’s expertise.

Research performed by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that 93% of business and nonprofit leaders reported that they consider communication skills and critical thinking more important than a potential candidate’s college major. Unfortunately, gaps in these sorts of skills are a very real problem in the workplace, but they can be difficult to measure in a quantitative fashion.

Employers rank professionalism, teamwork and verbal communication as their most valued skills, and yet they also rank many individuals who are currently entering the workforce as being deficient in most of these areas. These deficiencies are especially prevalent among workers without a college degree.

The Slate article emphasizes that there is no “silver bullet” for eliminating this gap. The author did highlight the approach implemented by a company called Books@Work. Said company taps university professors to perform literature reading and discussion groups in work settings. Employers find that a liberal arts education can help workers to develop many of the interpersonal skills that cannot be instilled in technical training.

As a member of the National Association of Distinguished Professionals, you will be able to cultivate & refine not only your technical skills, but also your interpersonal skills. The NADP strives to equip members with every possible tool they will need to be successful in the business world and within their own area of expertise. Check out the main page of the National Association of Distinguished Professionals today for more information on all that they have to offer you and your business.