The combination of foundational cognitive and non-cognitive skills, along with career planning skills, provides a framework for career readiness that has been proposed previously, and all three have been shown to contribute to career success. Two types of foundational skills make up career readiness. (1) Cognitive skills include both academic and workplace domains. The necessary level of cognitive skills is contingent on the career path and an individual’s location on that path at any point during an individual’s career. Examples include reading, math, critical thinking, and problem-solving. (2) Non-Cognitive skills, also known as personal effectiveness or soft skills, are personal characteristics and behavioral skills applicable across a broad range of settings. Examples include adaptability, communication skills, cooperation, discipline, and integrity.
These skills are foundational skills: they are the fundamental, portable skills that are critical to training and workplace success. These skills are fundamental in that they serve as a basis—the foundation—for supporting more advanced skill development. And they are portable because, rather than being job-specific, they can be applied at some level across a wide variety of occupations. Individuals who develop these skills are more likely to be successful in training and in the workforce and are more competitive in the job market. Reading a technical manual, listening to instructions, showing up to work on time, writing a memo, putting forth extra effort, and giving an oral presentation are all examples of using foundational skills on the job.Career planning skillsare used to engage in informed exploration and make effective education and career choices. Research shows that the degree to which career interests fit a planned choice of college major or career impacts measures of success, such as academic success and persistence, job satisfaction and performance, and earnings. In both the K-12, postsecondary and workforce arenas, there should be an understanding of how to obtain information on career opportunities, how to assess interests, and how to interpret the information to help individuals develop a viable career pathway.
Work Readiness
Within the context of career pathways, “work readiness” describes the skill needs and demands of a specific occupation or job. “Work ready” describes what it takes for an individual to be considered as a viable applicant for a given job. While the level of foundational skills varies between career paths, the mix and level of foundational skills required for a specific occupation are even more diverse.