employability skills. “employability skills are: the non-technical skills, knowledge and...
TRANSCRIPT
Employability Skills
“Employability skills are: the non-technical skills, knowledge and understandings that
are necessary to gain employment and participate effectively in the workplace
contribute to work performance in combination with technical or discipline specific skills, as well as language, literacy and numeracy skills.1”
“Often referred to as soft skills include skills such as communication, self-management,
planning, decision making and problem solving. Your ability to demonstrate these skills is an important
requirement when you are looking for work, as they are highly valued by employers and industry.1”
Kansas Career Cluster Model2
2
TEAM A group of people working together toward a common goal. Benefits of teamwork Three common types of work teams
Project team Cross-functional team Self-directed work team
Individual vs. team solutions
At least three solutions More if possible 5 minutes Top Five Characteristics of Effective Teams
Effective Team Leader
1. Clear communicator
2. Strong organizational skills
3. Confident in his/her abilities
4. Respectful of team members
5. Treats team members fairly
6. Has integrity
7. Influential to team members
8. Share leadership through delegation
9. Strong facilitator
10. Uses negotiation skills to achieve results
Scenarios
Each student will lead an activity Each will receive a sealed envelope Observer/note taker Other team members work with the leader 7 minutes – present and solve problem
Observer/note taker share in 3 minutes what was seen Repeat until all team members have presented their problem Reflection/exit card –
What kind of leader were you? What characteristics of an effective leader did you possess? What leadership qualities would you like to improve?
Teamwork Survival
Survival Scenario List of twelve most useful items
Individual Team
Final twelve list and rationale
Debrief
Did team members listen to each other? How did you reach your final decision? How could the decision-making process have been easier or
more effective? What could you have done differently as a team?
How was conflict or differences of opinion managed? How did everyone feel about the final list? Did anyone fee that they weren’t listened to? Did anyone feel like they just gave in? Did some assume the role as the leader of the team? What situations at home/work/school do you think are?
similar to this activity
COMMUNICATION
Exchange of information between a send and a receiver Involves speaking, listening, reading, and writing Be clear and direct
Groups Recorder How do you use communication skills at school? 5 minutes
Communication – key skills that employers need in the workplace
Each student choose an occupation Tell how communication used for that position Why are good communication skills important in the
workplace?
Clear Verbal Communication GROUP WORK Director – picture; give instructions to manager Creator – blank paper, writing utensil Observer – paper for note taking; write everything observed
during this activity Manager – gets instructions from director and passes them
along to the creator
Ten minutes Show original picture Show drawn picture What needs to be changed?
List of characteristics of Effective Leaders Which characteristics did this team possess?
Charades Non-Verbal Communication Brainstorming Perceived in workplace
Three Tips for Improving Non-Verbal Communication
Body movements – use gestures to illustrate message trying to convey Good eye contact Appropriate gestures Good posture Do not send mixed messages
Voice quality Not what you say, but how you say it Be careful of tone Have “power to take simple sentence with no ill intent and turn it
into a chaotic mess.3”
Consider volume
Space and Personal Boundaries Be aware of our space Be aware of the space of others
Business Letter Important skill is knowing how to write a proper business
letter Most commonly used is Block Format Business Letter Block Letter Format Handout Scenarios Peer Review Letter and Rubric
Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
“…defined as ability to use facts, knowledge, and data to successfully solve problems. 3”
Employers want employees who can solve problems in well thought out process and in a timely manner
Seven Steps to Solving a Problem Effectively
Clearly identify the problem – What are you trying to solve? Be specific
Remember to see others; perspective of the problem – best solution satisfies al parties
Brainstorm – all potential solutions Pros and cons of each possible solution Best solution – consequences of solution? Put it in writing and implement plan How to monitor or track decision and follow through –
contingency plan?
Problem Solving Activity Challenging on your own; can more difficult when working as
a team One bad attitude or strong ego can be detrimental to finding
solution Scenario and Solutions
2nd Problem to Solve What was the problem? Points of View Options Evaluation Solution Implementation Evaluation
Technology Used in almost every workplace Has changed the way we work Makes it difficult to keep up 21st Century workers must be FLEXIBLE and ADAPT QUICKLY
Skill Sets
Employers are looking for skill sets very different from 10, 20, even 100 years ago
For what top ten skill sets are they looking?
Communication skills Analytical and research skills Self-motivation Teamwork Technical skills Strength of character
Interpersonal skills Flexibility and adaptability Planning and organizing Problem solving skills
Practice
Word Processing Spreadsheets Presentation software skills Internet research
Presentation Choose a career of interest to you Create a ten slide minimum presentation to explain what the
job is, typical duties, work environment, the type(s) of technology used in that job, required education or credentials, average starting salary and job outlook.
Rubric
Spreadsheets
One day menu, identify foods and beverages Three meals and two snacks Record calorie count Data Collection Worksheet Excel How To Worksheet
Sources 1 http://
myfuture.edu.au/getting-started/what-is-a-career/what-are-employability-skills
2 http://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/CSAS/CSAS%20Home/CTE%20Home/Career_Cluster_Pathway/KS%20CC%20Chart%20Pathway%207-14.pdf
3 RealCareer Effective Employability Skills, Realityworks, Inc., 2015.