7 Ways to Introduce Students to Performing Arts
by Emily Ewen
byConnections Academy
Did you know that 92% of employers say that “soft skills” like critical thinking and time management are just as important to getting hired as technical job requirements, or “hard skills,” like knowing a computer programming language?
The job market is constantly changing and, with it, employer expectations are shifting as well. While a resume that cataloged relevant work experience may have done the job previously, these days employers are looking for more on a resume. As such, it is critical that schools bake soft skills for students into the curriculum through various soft-skills activities and teacher-led lessons. When a school prioritizes developing soft skills in students, it helps foster your child’s ability to adapt and change far into the future.
Whether your student has dreams of becoming a CEO or working in a technical field, both hard and soft skills are core capabilities looked for in every profession. But what is the difference between the two?
Hard skills are the abilities you gain through schooling, degrees, certifications, and similar education-based trainings. These are often baseline requirements to get you in the door at a company but won’t necessarily land you the job. These skills range from mastering specific programs like Photoshop to emergency response protocol.
Conversely, soft skills are the traits and attitudes that allow you to succeed in the workplace, college, and life. They are what enable you to work well with groups, solve problems, manage your time, and take personal responsibility for your work. In college, they’re the skills needed to stay on top of your studies and, in today’s competitive job market, they are the skills that can set someone apart from other candidates.
Developing soft skills for high school students early is important, especially with many employers struggling to find employees with the soft skills they need. From lesson-driven projects to a learning experience infused with social-emotional learning, finding a soft-skills curriculum for high school students is key to helping them build these critical capabilities.
Here are the top 10 most in-demand soft skills and how to develop them in students:
If you’re struggling to find ways to encourage developing soft skills at home, explore these learning activities and resources:
Building soft skills is an important part of life and learning these skills early can set students up to be successful and thrive in the future. Connections Academy® delivers a unique and personalized learning experience that supports each individual student in finding their passion for learning and preparing for whatever comes next after graduation.