Cultivating Soft Skills in Workforce Development: K-12 Initiatives

Posted by Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on April 13, 2015

Session Description:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 9.6 million unemployed people in the United States in August 2014, while at the same time there were 4.8 million job openings. While a lot of attention is paid to the lack of technical skills that job candidates possess and the need to invest more in training for STEM jobs, it is also true that one of the biggest barriers faced by employers when hiring is the candidates’ lack of “soft skills” (e.g., being able to communicate effectively, think critically and be a reliable team player).

During this Exploring Innovation webinar series from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, we will hear from leaders in education, academia and business regarding what it means to have a workforce that possesses the soft skills demanded by employers. We will highlight innovative approaches to acquiring and developing these skills in early childhood, K-12 and higher education — strategies that are positioning communities to have a thriving talent pool for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

April 16, 2015
3:00-4:15 PM

https://bsr.stlouisfed.org/EI_CDAudioConference/