Webinar Recap: Assessment of Skills for the New Economy

Forces of technology and exponential information in the new economy have changed how businesses react to the market, putting pressure on employees at all levels to proactively learn in real time and quickly adapt. I recently shared some of my research into what skills the knowledge economy demands, and how these skills can transform the workplace and an employee’s potential.

There is a profound gap between the perception of business leaders and chief academic officers as to whether graduates possess the skills necessary to succeed in the workforce. According to a study conducted by Inside Higher Ed, 96% of chief academic officers believe their students leave college prepared for work, compared to only 11% of business leaders.

Credo’s hypothesis is that as changes in the knowledge economy force workers at all levels to be able to adapt, conduct real-time learning, and execute problem solving, people will need to be able to demonstrate the following skills:

  • Critical thinking
  • Communication
  • Cultural awareness
  • Logic and reasoning
  • Information literacy

Watch the full webinar here (slides) to see how these skills fit into the overarching mission of higher education, and how mastery of these skills will benefit individuals, employers, and academic institutions in the coming years.

Let’s keep the conversation going! Follow me on Twitter at @_Mike_Sweet.