Defining, Assessing, and Developing Core Employability Skills
Workforce development professionals often focus on predicting which skills will be needed in the future. An equally important question is: Which skills will always matter to employers regardless of industry or sector?
Today’s workplaces are changing due to technological innovation and shifting demographics. It is forcing workers to continue learning new skills. However, there are some skills and competencies that are foundational to and transferable across time and all contexts. We call them core employability skills, for example:
- Critical thinking;
- Communication; and
- Adaptability.
These skills help people succeed in any role and have become even more important for business success. Even though most employers agree these skills matter, employers typically lack access to an evidence-based framework, a valid and reliable way to evaluate these skills, and proven training solutions especially for real workplace settings.
Christina Yancey
Vice President
Our partnership with the ACCE Foundation exemplifies the power of a research-practice collaboration, combining AIR's expertise in evidence generation and industrial-organizational psychology with employer insight.
Christina Yancey
Vice President
Our Work
Extending reach and utility of this work
While the Phase 1 work is underway, we are actively seeking new partners. We welcome collaborations with:
- Workforce development experts;
- Private industry partners and employers;
- Potential users of our framework and tools; and
- Other skills-based research organizations.
Building on decades of experience in research, measurement, and implementation, AIR is working to address this challenge. In collaboration with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Foundation, we are creating an evidence-based framework for employability skills, along with practical tools to support how these skills are assessed and developed.
The framework and tools are intended for use by employers, educational institutions, and workforce development organizations.
This effort will be conducted in three phases:
- Initial discovery and framework building;
- Assessment and training development; and
- Pilot testing and implementation.
Sheree Anne Kelly
CEO, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
Our collaboration with AIR is especially valuable because it goes beyond identifying important skills. This work will help chambers support employers with practical tools for hiring and talent development. Educating employers on how to evaluate and train soft skills solves an ongoing challenge, yielding more effective employees and improved staff retention.
Sheree Anne Kelly
CEO, Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives
