Innovating Work Force Skills Instruction

Which work force skills are important and appropriate for focus at the elementary level?

When we decided we wanted our students to have opportunities to be creators rather than consumers; to practice collaboration and communication; and to dig in, find ideas, make mistakes, and learn from those mistakes, we also asked what kinds of skills students would need both in the classroom and in the real world that would help them accomplish these things. Because a main focus of the Innovation & Design Lab is centered upon the qualities and skills our students will need in order to be successful leaders, I set out to learn more about work force readiness skills in the current job market.

“14 Hiring Qualities That Are More Important Than Experience” by the Forbes Coaches Council provided some real-world workforce guidance. The second item on the list really made me pause: An explorer mindset. That is perfect for elementary students! Larry Boyer, Success Rockets LLC, shared that “today’s business world is more about creating innovations and building things that have never been built before” and that “those who succeed are explorers--curious, adaptable, and undaunted by the unknown.” Elementary age students are at the perfect place developmentally to support and encourage exploration, curiosity, and adaptability. This explorer mindset goes along with other key qualities. Billy Williams, Archegos, talked about looking for a “candidate [who] demonstrates discipline and a learning mindset” and Laura DeCarlo, Career Directors International, spoke of candidates with “a positive attitude, outstanding communication skills, and a strength in interaction.”

Another quality aligned with current practices regarding social and emotional intelligence is empathy. Deborah Goldsten, DRIVEN Professionals, stated that “the ability to listen with an empathetic ear, believe that others speak their truth, and critically come up with solutions, quickly gains the experience needed for success.” One of the things Jennifer Scott took away from a site visit was the need for instructional and staffing support in this area. We, too, are learning from our students: what support they need and ways to deliver lessons in the same space where children may become upset or triggered by collaborative experiences or problem-solving without concrete answers. We are now a Leader in Me school. The Innovation & Design Lab will be the perfect place to practice “win-win.”

The potential for creativity was another quality on the Forbes list. Creativity is a specific quality we identified as a focus area for our students. Shoma Chatterjee, ghSMART, suggests looking for “how [candidates] deal with obstacles, difficult feedback, {and} uncertain situations...If you only fill roles with "been there, done that" candidates, you forego those who can infuse creative solutions into your culture.” The Innovation & Design Lab provides students experiences with obstacles and uncertain situations and the opportunity to hone their creativity.

The initial goals for the Innovation & Design Lab included focus on creativity, a growth mindset, and effective communication - all of which are key for success in the workforce. Intentional planning will include these areas along with empathy and feedback. We want our students to be successful in school and in the future.

(Source: Forbes Coaches Council (December 19, 2017). 14 Hiring Qualities That Are More Important Than Experience)