SOFT SKILLS
The Missing Link in
Contemporary Education I
Employment in Decline
Cornell University:
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=2
Employment in Decline
Bureau of Labor Statistics:
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/disabl.a.htm
The Reach of DoR
BFS for CA “factsheet” http://www.rehab.cahwnet.gov/Public/DOR-Fact-Sheets.html
Disability Statistics from Cornell University http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=1
What Do Employers Want?
Option
Rank
Score1
Social Skills (e.g. Coordination, Instruction, Negotiation, Persuasion,
Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness)
1
530
Workplace Behavior and Values
2
503
Basic Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Math, Science, Reading, Writing,
Speaking)
3
423
Technical Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Equipment Selection, Installation,
Operation and Control; Operation Monitoring; Programming; Quality
Control Analysis, Technology Design, Troubleshooting)
4
410
Complex Problem-Solving Skills
5
380
Systems Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Judgment and Decision Making,
Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation)
6
376
Management or Leadership
7
278
What are the Skill Gaps?
Option
Rank
Score
Basic Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Math, Science, Reading, Writing,
Speaking)
1
1291
Social Skills (e.g. Coordination, Instruction, Negotiation, Persuasion,
Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness)
2
1200
Technical Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Equipment Selection,
Installation, Operation and Control; Operation Monitoring;
Programming; Quality Control Analysis, Technology Design,
Troubleshooting)
3
1123
Complex Problem-Solving Skills
4
1045
Workplace Behavior and Values
5
1013
Systems Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Judgment and Decision Making,
Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation)
6
1013
Management or Leadership
7
750
Do you think society expects
people with disabilities to
work?
“I have a disability”
SUCCESS IS:
1. Achieving happiness and life
satisfaction
2. Giving back to others
3. Living a dignified, well-rounded life
4. Achieving goals and expectations
5. Having meaningful employment
6. Establishing economic self-sufficiency
7. Mastery of skills (blindness-specific and
general life skills)
SUCCESS IS:
1. Achieving happiness and life
satisfaction
2. Giving back to others
3. Living a dignified, well-rounded life
4. Achieving goals and expectations
5. Having meaningful employment
6. Establishing economic self-sufficiency
7. Mastery of skills (blindness-specific and
general life skills)
FACTORS that contribute to
success
1. Role models and mentors
2. Positive blind identity
3. Membership and participation in a
national consumer organization for
the blind
4. Blindness-specific skills training
FACTORS that contribute to
success
5. Strong work ethic
6. Problem-solving and critical
thinking skills
7. Internal traits and characteristics
8. Active learning
9. Goal setting
FACTORS that contribute to
success
10. Early expectations and
encouragement from family and
friends
11. Experience of success
12. Social skills
13. Fear of failure
What Do Employers Want?
Option
Rank
Score1
Social Skills (e.g. Coordination, Instruction, Negotiation, Persuasion,
Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness)
1
530
Workplace Behavior and Values
2
503
Basic Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Math, Science, Reading, Writing,
Speaking)
3
423
Technical Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Equipment Selection, Installation,
Operation and Control; Operation Monitoring; Programming; Quality
Control Analysis, Technology Design, Troubleshooting)
4
410
Complex Problem-Solving Skills
5
380
Systems Skills and Knowledge (e.g. Judgment and Decision Making,
Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation)
6
376
Management or Leadership
7
278
And Soft Skills Means…
Zone of Control
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
Work Ethic
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
Work Ethic
Social Rapport
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
Work Ethic
Social Rapport
Collaboration
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
•
•
•
Common Sense
Time Management
Problem Solving
Work Ethic
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social Rapport
•
•
•
•
Emotional Projection
Physical Projection
Reception & Interpretation
Differentiated Communication
Collaboration
•
•
Teamwork
Communication
Presence
Trustworthiness
Commitment to Work
Unsupervised Behavior
Commitment to Growth
Professional Boundaries
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
•
•
•
Common Sense
Time Management
Problem Solving
Work Ethic
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social Rapport
•
•
•
•
Emotional Projection
Physical Projection
Reception & Interpretation
Differentiated Communication
Collaboration
•
•
Teamwork
Communication
Presence
Trustworthiness
Commitment to Work
Unsupervised Behavior
Commitment to Growth
Professional Boundaries
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
•
•
•
Common Sense
Time Management
Problem Solving
Work Ethic
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social Rapport
•
•
•
•
Emotional Projection
Physical Projection
Reception & Interpretation
Differentiated Communication
Collaboration
•
•
Teamwork
Communication
Presence
Trustworthiness
Commitment to Work
Unsupervised Behavior
Commitment to Growth
Professional Boundaries
Zone of Control
Critical Thinking
•
•
•
Common Sense
Time Management
Problem Solving
Work Ethic
•
•
•
•
•
•
Social Rapport
•
•
•
•
Emotional Projection
Physical Projection
Reception & Interpretation
Differentiated Communication
Collaboration
•
•
Teamwork
Communication
Presence
Trustworthiness
Commitment to Work
Unsupervised Behavior
Commitment to Growth
Professional Boundaries
Hard Skills
-A
skill used to perform a singular task.
Soft Skills
-An interrelated set of learnable skills
that allow people to work together
effectively.
Implications
• Soft Skills Can be defined (and should be)
• The conceptual model is an attempt to bring
common language to the discussion
• The skills are learnable, not inherent
characteristics
• We can map and influence educational
curricula…