Soft Skills and CTE

Elizabeth Wallnereawallner@gmail.com

916-455-4643

Agenda1. Introductions

2. Definitions

3. The Problem

4. Some Solutions

5. Evaluation -

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N3BFL7Q

6. Wrap up

Introductions

A.= K-12

B.= CCC

C.= Other

Introductions

A. = Teacher/Faculty

B. = Counselor

C. = Administration

D. = Student Services

E. = Other

Introductions

Elizabeth WallnerElizabeth has been working with the CA Perkins JSPAC for 17 years. She has a passion for ensuring the access and opportunities for each

student in the community college CTE programs and beyond.

Elizabeth is a graduate of Cosumnes River College and CSU, Sacramento. She has a BA in Liberal Studies, a minor in women’s studies, and a MA (ABT) in Public Policy & Administration. She is a single mother of one CCC student.

CA Perkins JSPAC mission is to promote equity and success in Career Technical

Education (CTE) by providing educators with

•Professional development

•Instructional strategies &

•Resources

“Promoting Equity & Successthrough Career Technical Education”

JSPAC Resources

• Brochures

• E-Seminars

• Links

• Professional Development Activities

JSPAC Conference 2016

Save the date!

•December 1-2, 2016• November 30 –

preconference

•Additional details to be posted to www.JSPAC.orgASAP

Students from SPs are Defined as:

• Individuals with disabilities

• Displaced homemakers

• Individuals from economically disadvantaged families;

o inc. foster children

• Individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

• Single parents;

o inc. single pregnant women & teen parents

• Individuals preparing for a career that is Nontraditional (NTO) by gender

About Whom Are We Talking?

Millennials (born after 1980)

• Like to be in control of their own learning

• Insist on receiving information “on-demand”

• Expect learning to be directly relevant to their jobs and lives

• Prefer their own conclusions through trial-&-error rather than being “told”

• Are adept at constructing their own unique learning models as they gather information & tools from a variety of seemingly unrelated sources

• Enjoy both visual and auditory input

• Multi-task well

• Expect immediate feedback & instant gratification, may disengage otherwise

• View collaboration and sharing as a means of validation

In Comparison…

http://workforcesolutions.stlcc.edu/2013/time-soft-skill-deficiencies-college-graduates /

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/28/bosses-dont-get-millennials_n_7455016.html?cps=gravity_2892_7600018012452506211

A Serious Disconnect!

• While 90% of all students survey felt prepared in terms of soft skills

• Nearly 60% of survey employers found them lacking!

http://workforcesolutions.stlcc.edu/2013/time-soft-skill-deficiencies-college-graduates/

About What Are We Talking?

Are They Really Ready to WorkFrom the Employers Perspective

Basic Knowledge/Skills Applied Skills

English Language (spoken) Critical Thinking/Problem Solving

Reading Comprehension (in English) Oral Communications

Written English (grammar, spelling, etc.) Written Communications

Mathematics Teamwork/Collaboration Diversity

Science Information Technology

Government/Economics Application Leadership

Humanities/Arts Creativity/Innovation

Foreign Languages Lifelong Learning/Self Direction

History/Geography Professionalism/Work Ethic

Ethics/Social Responsibility

http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf

It’s Easier to Learn to Make a Widget…

• Employers are willing to hire job applicants who are

technically qualified & provide soft skills training.

• Yet many indicted a preference for hiring job

applicants that possess the desired soft skills and

providing training to build technical competence

instead.

We want our candidates to:

Questions for entry level HS graduate applicants

• Describe how you worked together with classmates on a special project in high school.

• What role did you play?

• Did the team work well?

• What were the problems?

• What were the outcomes of the project?

http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf

How Do we Begin to Readjust?

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” — Confucius

• E-learning that “requires” each student to answer

• Live or web-based simulations that allow students to make critical observations and decisions

• On their own and in teams

• Reflections & descriptions from & of these experiences allows practice in self-reflection, writing, & communication skills

• Student led lectures, presentations, research, etc…

• Learn critical analysis by listening to & critiquing popular media

• Utilize sports to develop leadership & teamwork in EACH student

• Extra-curricular activities

• http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/SoftSkillsMastery.pdf

• http://www.islandtrees.org/pdfs/curriculum/softskills.pdf

So what else do we do?

• Run your classroom like a business

• Dress code?

• Start times?

• Ask your students to be CEO for a company of one: Themselves!

• Make experiential learning standard

So what else do we do?

http://workforcesolutions.stlcc.edu/2013/time-soft-skill-deficiencies-college-graduates%20/

A New Model

• The objective is to guide students toward autonomous learning

• New integrated learning model will require little adjustment on the student’s part

• A technology-enhanced classroom will transform the instructor’s role from “teacher” to “facilitator”

• No better way to prepare students for the world of work than to help them help themselves

http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/SoftSkillsMastery.pdf

JSPAC’s Soft Skills e-Seminarhttp://jspac.org/training-e-seminars#Skills

Resources

• http://nj.jobseekersguide.org/know-your-work-skills

• http://www.p21.org/

• http://elearning.connect-ability.com/resources/documentation/ShortInstructorGuideIntroductionForEpic.pdf

Works Cited/References

• http://infonomics-society.org/IJCDSE/Importance%20of%20Soft%20Skills%20for%20Education%20and%20Career%20Success.pdf

• http://www.dol.gov/odep/documents/SoftSkillsMastery.pdf

• http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf

• http://www.sctea.org/Conference_PPTs/The%20Hard%20Facts%20about%20Soft%20Skills.pdf

• http://www.islandtrees.org/pdfs/curriculum/softskills.pdf

• http://workforcesolutions.stlcc.edu/2013/time-soft-skill-deficiencies-college-graduates/

• http://mass.educational-innovation.org/attachments/396_MASS%20wp4%20final%20report%20part-2%20(Learning%20Materials,%20EN).pdf

• Questions

• Reflections

• Evaluations

Thank you!