91直播

Special Report
College & Workforce Readiness

What Skills Do Students Need to be Future-Ready? 11 Reader Responses

By The Editors 鈥 September 26, 2017 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

91直播 turned to social media to ask readers to respond to this question: What skills should we teach students to prepare them for the jobs of the future?

Read some of the responses we received, from educators, business professionals, and others, below:

1.

鈥淚 find that instilling the importance of caring and dedication/work ethic is one of my most important tasks as an educator. I have told my students that finding something to care about is one of the most important things they can do as a person in this world. Though I teach English, I get so much joy out of seeing my students pursue their interests with hunger and passion whether it be in my class or another.鈥
Stephanie Aiello, High School English Teacher, New Jersey |

2.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 students are heading into a very different workforce than in the past. Team work, Communication/Listening skills, Problem solving (thinking outside the box), Work ethic.鈥
Ronald Bruno, Warehouseman Training Inc., Missouri |

3.

鈥淪oft skills, employability skills, social and emotional learning, emotional intelligence.... whatever you want to call them.鈥
Art Janowiak III, The Conover Company, Wisconsin |

4.

鈥淚mplicit here is assumption that the purpose of #education is primarily to prepare [students] for jobs. Is there a wider social purpose to consider? Schools prepare [students] for active informed citizenship, build social cohesion, enhance health/well-being. A danger in a narrow economic focus.鈥
Mr. Vince, secondary educator, Australia |

5.

鈥淭each skills that transcend time and industries (leadership, collaboration, communication, strategy, technology, conflict resolution).鈥
Marie Gould Harper, American Public University System, Washington |

6.

鈥淕rit! And coding.鈥
Daena Reynolds, Global History Teacher, New York |

7.

鈥淭hey need to learn:
How to speak in public settings
How to challenge ideas
How to make and defeat arguments
How to LISTEN鈥
William A. Smelko, Procopio, Cory, Hargreaves & Savitch LLP, California |

8.

鈥淲ork ethic. Problem-solving. Thinking on your feet. Share the credit when appropriate. Accountability.鈥
Maria Fieth |

9.

鈥淏eing able to understand and problem solve using critical thinking. #artseducation and #sports inherently teaches this.鈥
Matthew G. Stover, teacher, Florida |

10.

鈥淭hey need to learn how to keep up with information over a long period of time by having to do longstanding projects.鈥
Josee` Gail Vaughn |

11.

鈥淓very student needs to learn critical thinking and communication skills. These skills will be valuable to them, no matter what career they choose. Students can learn those skills by joining their school鈥檚 debate team. Every school should have a debate team!鈥
Josee` Gail Vaughn |

Want to chime in? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn with the hashtag #SkillsForFutureJobs.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the September 27, 2017 edition of 91直播

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of 91直播's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Improve School Culture and Engage Students: Archery鈥檚 Critical Role in Education
Changing lives one arrow at a time. Find out why administrators and principals are raving about archery in their schools.
Content provided by 
School Climate & Safety Webinar Engaging Every Student: How to Address Absenteeism and Build Belonging
Gain valuable insights and practical solutions to address absenteeism and build a more welcoming and supportive school environment.
Student Well-Being K-12 Essentials Forum Social-Emotional Learning 2025: Examining Priorities and Practices
Join this free virtual event to learn about SEL strategies, skills, and to hear from experts on the use and expansion of SEL programs.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Leader To Learn From This Leader Said All Kids Will Do College-Level Work. What It Took to Get There
Jennifer Norrell led an effort to more than double the percentage of high schoolers taking AP in her district.
12 min read
Dr. Jennifer Norrell, superintendent of East Aurora School District 131, visits East Aurora students at the Music Recording Studio at Resilience Education Center in Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2024.
Jennifer Norrell, superintendent of East Aurora School District 131, visits students at a recording studio at the district's new Resilience Education Center in Aurora, Ill., on Dec. 4, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for 91直播
College & Workforce Readiness Leader To Learn From This Leader Made the Tagline 'Discover Your Future' Real for Students. Here's How
Lazaro Lopez was the architect of an early national career-pathway model that is still reaping dividends for students.
12 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, visits the manufacturing lab at Wheeling High School, where he talks with students and their instructor, in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for 91直播
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A The Power of Career Pathways for Engaging High School Students
Lazaro Lopez is building career pathways to help students graduate with clear, relevant steps toward college and careers.
4 min read
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, stands for a portrait at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Lazaro Lopez, associate superintendent for teaching and learning at High School District 214, at Wheeling High School in Wheeling, Ill., on Dec. 3, 2024.
Jamie Kelter Davis for 91直播
College & Workforce Readiness Boys Think School Is a Waste of Time. Career Pathways Prove Them Wrong
Real-world, experiential learning appeals to how boys learn best, educators say.
7 min read
High school student Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer鈥檚 home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on October 15, 2024.
High schooler Aaron Bartsch, 17, helps unload tools from a work van before working in a customer鈥檚 home as part of an internship with Barkley Heating and Air in Smyrna, Del., on Oct. 15, 2024. His high school offers career pathways so students can get a taste of real-world, experiential learning.
Michelle Gustafson for 91直播